Running
by RamblesAndShambles9
Summary: #Caryl #DarylandCarol ... Carol comes crashing through the woods into Daryl's camp site. Something I have been working on, hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: I'm bringing some of my fic's over here from AO3 where I write with the same name without the 9, always under Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier. Comments make my day, reviews make all writers day, if you enjoy please give feedback we all write for fun we want you to enjoy. Thanks for reading. **

Carol run out the front door down the steps bleeding from her face, looking around for somewhere to hide. Stumbling down the front steps looking around running out to the road taking a left and ducking through the woods that ran near her house, she looked over her shoulder and she was not being followed. She wiped her face with her arm trying to stop the blood from dripping into her eyes.

It was raining and dark, she ran and ran. It was stupid to keep running into the dark. She didn't know where she was. She had had a wee wander next to her house never going to far in case she got lost. She ran down a little faint track or gap where there were no trees. Her arm's were aching and the rain was freezing. She had her jacket on but it was doing little to keep her dry, she looked down at the bundle in her arms and pulled the blanket again to cover it.

They had just moved there less than a month. She knew it was at least 30 miles to town, he had taken her there to get food. Watching her, making sure she didn't make friends or make contact with anyone. She doubted she could run the 30miles to town, realizing now she was going in the wrong direction to run to town. She was frantic, she needed to stop but she couldn't stop until she found shelter or somewhere to hide.

She had no money, no car, no friends to call. Hell they didn't even have a phone. He took the car with him to work everyday leaving her stuck where she was miles away from her nearest neighbors that could be in any direction. She actually didn't know if she had neighbours but she hoped this track might lead somewhere. It was a well used track but still a track.

He had kept her isolated with no friends no family, no one to call, no where to go. She didn't even know the direction to run to town. Baby Sophia struggled at her chest wrapped in a blanket. She stumbled over the rough ground. Trying hard to keep her footing. Her arms were burning, she could feel blood dripping into her mouth. She was trying not to cry, trying to keep her wits about her.

She stopped knowing she had covered a great deal of distance from her house. She couldn't see the lights from it any more and she run her hand across the baby's face. She could feel a slight bruise on her head as Ed had lost his temper and tried to get to the baby that was crying.

For the past year Carol had been with this man, starting to date him then finding herself pregnant moved in with him too soon, suddenly finding out he wasn't as nice as he had appeared on face value to begin with. His isolation from friends had started slowly, then after the baby was born he moved them hundreds of miles away to a new job, a new place to live. A new hell.

He had never hit Carol before, but tonight he had seen red, coming home driving drunk and Carol was trying to settle the 3 month old baby into the bassinet he had become enraged and directed it all at the baby for daring to make a noise. Carol had stepped between the baby and Ed and fought a battle for her life. Carol bruised and bleeding had in a last ditched attempt to save the baby had swung a the baby monitor, holding the cord had managed to connect it to his temple dropping him like a stone long enough for her to gather her thoughts, to get shoes, a jacket, warm clothes on quickly and wrapping her baby in the warmest blanket she could grab and ran.

Running out the front door to save her baby and to save herself she now felt she may have made a mistake and should have tried to take his keys and tried take his car. The problem was that his keys were in his pocket and trying to get them would have meant moving him and him possibly waking up to try get to Sophia again.

Sophia had been crying as she had a bruise from his attempts to get at her. Carol knew it was too cold for the baby outside in the rain, but she also knew it would be deadly to stay. She was lost she must have stumbled off the track. She stopped and took a moment to calm herself wondering how far off the track she could have gone. She felt sick to her stomach when she realized her mistake.

Her body was screaming with pain, she didn't know how much further she could go or how much longer she could hold her baby in her arms, giving into tears rain poured down her face. She looked up to the sky to pray to a god she didn't know if she believed in.

Help me out here show me a sign!

Carol had tears falling freely from her face, Sophia started crying hard, her wee body starting to shake with the cold and she was soaked through. Carol looked around looking for a sign when she saw a light flickering in the woods, Carol took a breath and started stumbling towards the light falling through the trees into a man.

Begging him to 'Help me!'


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl was lying in his tent looking up at the roof wondering if he should give up and climb into the cab of his truck before it blew away. Sighing he pulled on his boots. The hunting trip had been a bit of a fizzer and he had caught nothing. He had been tracking tonight coming back with nothing, he knew it was supposed to rain tonight which is why he chose this place to go camping and hunting down a little track about 7 miles from the main road. In case it did storm and he had to bail he was not that far from home and a warm fire.

Making his way back to his camp for the night, the storm had blown in he made it to his tent lying on his sleeping bag eating from his supplies he had brought reading a book by touch light. He was set up high enough that the rain didn't really affect him, but it was getting cold and he didn't want to be trying to save his brand new tent from flying away in the wind of the storm.

Groaning and giving up he rolled over pulling on his boots and his jacket made his way out of the tent flashing his touch around. He unlocked the back of his truck and started loading his gear into it. Before long he knew he was going to get soaked so he began to go about putting it down in the dark. He planned to stick around another day but this storm was really setting up. He was going to give up and go home come back next weekend.

He basically threw the whole thing into the back of his truck thinking when he got back to his house he would have to put it up to dry again anyway. He would sleep the rest of the night in the truck then check his site to make sure he didn't leave any thing behind. He flashed his tourch around the ground gathering up everything that could blow away.

Daryl stood up looking around flashing his touch around the camp site, he thought he was starting to go a little insane. He was sure he just heard a baby crying. In the middle of the woods in the storm late at night he must be going mad, no one would have a baby outside in this weather, not 7miles in from the main road thats for sure. He shook his head to clear it. But he could still hear a baby crying.

He brushed it off as the wind flashing his touch around again and then he decided to called out.

'Is anyone there? Hello?' He shouted. 'Hello?'

'Please, Help me!'

Daryl was surprised to see a bloody women stumbling towards him trying to shove a parcel into his arms. He took it in one arm and caught her with the other as she began to fall into him. He looked around totally surprised to be holding a crying baby and a sobbing bleeding women.

'Help us!' Carol cried. 'Please she's so cold.'

'Yeah, come on.' He opened the front seat of his truck putting the baby there, turning his truck on and fiddling with the heater so it went on full blast. Shutting the door so it was out of the rain moving around to open the back door pushing the women inside, shutting the door. He grabbed his crossbow looking around and listening, someone bleeding beaten in the rain at night in the woods meant that she had no other choice. Not with a baby in tow, he scanned to woods and listened he could hear nothing.

No mother worth her weight would ever be running in the storm. When Daryl was sure no one was following her, he reached into the back of his truck pulling out his sleeping bag and small bag of clothes, he climbed into the Divers seat. Noting the women had the baby naked at her breast trying to calm it by feeding it. She had taken off its soaking wet clothes, trying to warm it in her arms. The women was soaking wet, Daryl reached around on the floor of his pretty messy truck and found his jacket.

'Here, take ya wet clothes off and put this on, ya will get sick.' He started fiddling with the heaters, the truck was warm he stuggled out of his wet shirt and pulled on a dry one. He started to pass her the sleeping bag.

'Can you take her?' She tried to pass him the baby, he sat starring at the baby before reaching his hands out to hold her. He never held a baby before but he pulled her into him, undoing his shirt pulling the now naked baby to his chest and reached and found a old sweatshirt off the passenger seat on top of her. He was no expert on babies but he knew hypothermia could be deadly in adults. It was probably fatal with babies this small. She felt tiny in his huge hands.

He fiddled with the heaters so the were directed at him and the baby, as the women struggled to get out of her wet clothes, and he was pretty sure she was naked in the back seat climbing into the sleeping bag. She was shaking trying to calm herself.

'Are we expecting anyone else?' Daryl asked.

'I don't think so, I knocked him out!' She muttered.

'Good! I'm Daryl.' Daryl said.

'Carol, and Sophia.' She answered, pointing at the naked baby with a shaking hand.


	3. Chapter 3

Daryl reached around in his truck he had enough dry clothes on the floor of his truck and his bag to clothe the women. A sweatshirt to wrap the baby in. His first thoughts was to get them to the hospital, but the baby was pink now and feeding hungrily at Carol's breast. He gave her a protein bar to eat. The cab was warm but they couldn't sit here all night. He would run out of gas before morning.

The baby had a bruise on her head, Daryl didn't want to ask how it got there, it had to have something to do with the reason Carol was running through the woods in the rain in the dark. To Daryl it looked like her partner had gone after the baby and Carol had fought him. He hadn't asked but reading between the lines that's what he thought.

'What are we doing?' Daryl asked. 'What do you want to do?'

'I don't know, I don't know anyone, we just moved here.' Carol told him.

'Where do you live?' Daryl asked.

'Old Crown Road...'

'That's about 6-7miles away, you ran that far with Sophia in your arms?' Daryl couldn't believe it.

'He was going to kill her! I fought him.' Carol told him quietly, Daryl was pleased to see the shaking had stopped but they were still sitting in the dark, with a cold baby and a cold women he needed to get them somewhere or get them to Andrea. All thoughts were going though his head and he knew he had to calm down before he made a mistake and they got stuck in the mud near the guy who did this to her.

'Ya going back?' Daryl hated to ask but women did strange things sometimes. The amount of times he had seen women go back to someone who assaulted them nearly made him lose his mind more than once.

'Never! We are not even married.' Carol told him. 'I've been in a seperate bedroom from him for 9 months. Was only with him a year.'

'How bad are you beat?' Daryl suddenly wondered if he was sitting in the truck with a women with life threatening injuries. He felt like a real tool all he wanted to do was go beat this guys arse and then throw him in jail.

'I'll live.'

'You want to come to my place tonight and tomorrow think about things?' Daryl asked.

'Yes please, thank you.' Carol didn't know why she agreed it might have had something to do with the way he cradled Sophia against his chest for ages to warm her while Carol tried to warm herself in the sleeping bag. He felt safe.

'I'm not a creeper, I just don't know where I could take you both to be safe tonight.' Daryl told her. 'I live just out of town.'

'I don't care, I'm not going back! Take us to the police station, hospital whatever, I'm not going back.' Carol stated with a shaky voice.

'I'm not gona make you do nothing ok.' Daryl told her, 'Hold onto that baby, we not got a car seat ok.'

'My sister inlaw's the local doctor anyway they would just make her go to the hospital anyway to check ya, if we go straight to my house, she's going to be there.' Daryl told her.

Daryl started his truck driving slowly down the old track. He had to drive past Carol's house, she pointed it out to him and she ducked as she saw Ed moving about the front waving a touch around looking for her. His eyes looked wild, she was scared he would see her.

Slowing down as he drove past Daryl felt rage grow within him. How fucken dare this guy try hit a little baby, and the mother of the baby, the baby was still tiny. Watching this man pace across the front lawn Daryl had little doubt that he would have shaken little Sophia like a rag doll with the rage he was viewing from the side of the road.

'That him?' Daryl asked pulling his truck to a slow stop looking at Ed.

'Yes please just go.'

'Hang on. Lock the door.' Daryl jumped out of his truck and walked around to the back lifting out his crossbow slinging it across his back and crept like a panther across the lawn to where Ed was standing.


	4. Chapter 4

Ed got one hell of a fright as he turned around and saw Daryl standing a foot away from him. He was sporting a few scratches down his face, a black eye and a bruise to his temple. Daryl was proud that Carol had managed to get a few good shots in.

'You like hitting girls and babies?' Daryl asked in a low growl, hoisting his crossbow so the man had no doubt that he shouldn't try anything.

Ed stood looking shocked at the man in front of him, his eyes drifting to the weapon over his shoulder.

'Want to try hitting a man?' Daryl asked him with a deadly glare. He could tell the man looked sicken by the suggestion that he hit Daryl. He also knew that Daryl would win, Daryl was bigger and leaner than this overweight man. 'Come on, I'll give you one shot to man up and try hit a man, or do you only hit little babies?'

'Your mistaken.' Ed stumbled over his words. 'She's lying!'

'Oh no I don't think I am. I'm also taking whats yours and I'm going to keep it! I'm going to keep your women and your baby, and if I see you in one foot of either of them I will put a arrow in your arse!' Daryl stared him down. He knew he was taunting the man but he was eager to smack him one so hard he would end up in the dirt. You didn't grow up being a Dixon without learning how to fight, if Ed tried Daryl knew he would fail. Ed made a move taking a swing at Daryl but Daryl as faster waiting and expecting, as he lay the man on his back with one punch. Leaning forward dragging the front of his shirt.

'Come near them, or even look in their direction I will hunt you you will really find out what I think of men who hit women and babies. ' Daryl let him go into the mud, Daryl jogged sideways back to the truck keeping an eye on Ed on the ground making sure he didn't chase after him, he indicated for Carol to unlock the truck so he could climb in.

'Won't you get into trouble for hitting him?' She whispered not wanting him to get into trouble.

'Fuck no! I mean no.' Daryl drove the truck forward down the road at a still slow pace towards his home.

'My brother and his wife live with me, she's a doctor she will check you both out ok.' Daryl told her driving slowly into town. He drove slowly down the main street when lights flashed him from behind, a police cruser pulled up beside him, Daryl wound down his window and the police car come up beside him.

'What you been doing tonight Dixon? Got a phone call that some redneck with a crossbow kidnapped a baby and a women.' A handsome police officer looked out the window. Daryl indicated behind him where Carol was just visible. The police officer nodded his head. 'Nice one Dixon, now I have to follow this shit up.'

'Probably, she's been assaulted by him, the baby too.' Daryl told them out the window. 'Follow me home. I'm not stopping they were both soaked to the bone, Baby is warm now and pink, I'm taking them to Andrea. They ran 7miles in the rain.'

'How old is the baby Daryl?' He asked, Daryl turned his head to look at Carol.

'3 months.' She offered.

'3 months.' He told them.

'What does it eat?' The police officer asked.

'Ummmmm boobs...' Daryl called out the window. He didn't know much about babies, but he knew enough that they were asking about formula and bottles for the emergency pack. They baby hadn't left Carols breast since he took her off his chest to give back to her before they drove off.

'Ok we will swing by the police station and get an emergency pack, Will be at yours in 15.'

'Can you ring Merle and let him know we are on the way?' Daryl asked, 'And go pick that cunt up for assault on a minor and women. Drunk driving, and any other shit!'

The police officer nodded pulled out his phone as the driver indicated, put their lights on and speed off. As they started to move on another police cruiser with lights flashing speed past them, going in the direction that they had come, it flashed its lights at Daryl truck as it passed.

'I got you in trouble?' Carol asked starting to cry for the first time during the night, it was dark and stormy still, Daryl looked over his shoulder at her.

'Nah your not going to get me in trouble with the law, I'm a cop anyway! But they will put his arse in jail as long as ya press charges, you'll press charges right?' Daryl asked her, Carol nodded looking at Sophia.

'I don't want him to get to Sophia again.' She told him.

He pulled up the drive as he knew the lights were still on, he beeped his horn. A few minutes later a man come to the door with blanket, coming down the steps. He opened the back door and he didn't look surprised to see Carol, he reached in and took the baby, wrapped her and left to go back into the house.

Daryl got out and held his hand out to Carol which she took and she stumbled out of the truck trying not to fall. She was still slightly bleeding from her nose as she hadn't had a chance to stem it because she was taking care of the baby, he reached around and lifted her light as a feather into his arms to make his way into the house.

Carol sagged into him starting to cry on his shoulder as he made his way up the steps as they were greeted by a blonde women who was waiting to fuss on her. Andrea wrapped her in a warm blanket and held it against her as she got her into the house.

'Shhhh now ya alright.' Daryl muttered to her. 'I've got ya.'


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl got Carol onto a chair by the fire he was reluctant to let her go as she sunk into his arms as he got her inside, Merle was standing there staring at the baby in his arms rocking on the heels of his feet. The baby had its eyes shut and Andrea was doing a quick check up on her.

Daryl made quick introductions to his brother Merle and his sister in-law Andrea. Carol looked at them both, both Merle and Andrea were taken back by Carol's bruised face and blood still slowly dripping from her. Daryl was shocked in the harsh light how bad she actually was. He had been to worried about the baby to have taken in too much details of her face. He believed her when she said she was ok. Clearly looking at her battered face she wasn't ok.

Daryl moved over towards a desk in the room pulling out a camera looking at her holding it up to ask if he could take some photos, she started crying again and nodded. He took some snaps of her face her cut and her side which had a big bruise coming up. He took some snaps of the babies face also and put the camera down.

The phone was ringing and Daryl answered it talking firmly and quietly into the phone, appearing to be giving advice and directions to the person at the other end of the phone.

Andrea was looking into Sophia's eyes. Testing her grip and took her temp with a thermometer out of her doctor bag. She moved her this way and that noting she was still wrapped in Daryl's sweatshirt. It was keeping her warm.

'Good job taking her clothes off.' Andrea told Daryl as he put the phone down and walked back over.

'Carol did that, I put her down my front for a bit until Carol warmed up enough to take her back!.' Daryl commented. 'She ok?'

Andrea pressed her lips together.

'How did she get this bruise?' Andrea asked.

'Her Dad, he tried to hit her.' Carol whispered, Daryl dug around in the first aid kit to try find something to use to help. In the end he got a wash cloth to try clear some of the blood off her face to see how bad she was. There was a cut in her hair line that looked like it would need stitching and was still bleeding.

'How long was she in the rain, cold?' Andrea asked, taking the baby and bringing her closer to the fire. The baby looked pink and warm and was kicking her feet at Andrea. She gave Andrea a half smile and cooed, Daryl and Merle leaned forward to look at her.

'She gona be ok?' Daryl asked again.

'I think she's going to be fine. Good job keeping her warm.' Andrea wrapped her up again in Daryl sweat shirt and handed her to Daryl to cuddle, passing a blanket to wrap her in also. She grabbed a hand towel and wadded it up and fiddled with the baby wedging it between her legs in case she went to the toilet, then she turned her attention turned to Carol.

'Where are you hurt?' She shone her light into Carols face. 'You want to come into my room and I can look at you? If you don't want them to see, I can look in private.'

Carol nodded and tried to stand, Merle reached out and helped her into the bedroom, where Andrea lifted her shirt to check bruising that Carol had indicated was there. All and all by the time Andrea finished looking at her. Andrea quickly stitched a few stitches into her hairline to close a hole. She got her rob and helped her into the shower off their bedroom to get cleaned up.

'Your going to be ok, how far did you run?' Andrea asked.

'Daryl said about 6-7miles...' Carol whispered. Andrea nodded.

'Has he done this before?' Andrea asked. Carol shook her head and started to cry again, Andrea pulled her into a hug.

'Its ok, your safe with us, Daryl and Merle won't let anything happen while your here!' Andrea told her, helping her into the shower helping her was blood off her back and face. They didn't wash her hair because Andrea had just put in stitches.

'He never hit me but when we moved here, I was stuck I couldn't go anywhere or do anything without him.' Carol whispered. 'I just ran, we could have died, Sophia was so cold.'

'Your safe here, your lucky, your safe now.' Andrea told her with a calm voice. She knew they were safe now but it very easily could have gone the other way. Carol was covered in bruises more than she could count on both hands. She really had fought for the babies life, how she managed to run that far Andrea didn't know. She gave her some warm soft clothes to wear.

'Come we get you warm by the fire with something to eat and settle you and the baby down in the spare room together ok. I put the electric blanket on.' Andrea helped her back to the lounge where two in uniform police officers stood drinking coffee in the kitchen which was open plan into the lounge. Daryl was drinking coffee with one hand and had the baby hooked in his other as he stood talking with his back turned to them.

Merle was stirring a pot of veggie soup that he had pulled out of the freezer and they could all hear the storm crashing around outside and the rain hitting the roof really really hard. Carol sat holding her hands out to the fire. One of the policemen introduced himself as Rick Grimes handed her an baby emergency pack that had changes of clothes and diapers in it for the baby.

Carol thanked him and Daryl brought the baby across telling her that the hand towel didn't work and she had wet herself and him. Carol gave him a wee smile as she took her little baby still wrapped in Daryl's sweatshirt to change her and put clothes onto her.

Carol looked up at Daryl for the first time since she met him realizing what a handsome man he actually was and looked into his big blue eyes. 'Thankyou, thankyou for everything.'

'I've got ya, its ok.' Daryl whispered back. 'Ya good here, don't stress.'


	6. Chapter 6

The next day Daryl found himself lying in a baby room trying to take down a cot to move it into the flat they had organised for Carol in town. Shane was throwing stuffed toy's into a box, and unhooking birth pictures of Carol with a brand new baby at her chest. He had already packed up the drawers of clothes of both Carol and the babies which didn't amount to much. Daryl had to admit Shane's job looked easier than his at getting this bloody thing down.

They were both off duty and dressed normally in jean's and a tee shirt they made a handsome pair, Carol watched them move about with confidence clearing her stuff out of the house she had shared with Ed. Daryl certainly had something about him, extremely good looking in the day light, while Shane held boyish charm that Carol was sure could charm the pants right off a lady should he try and put the moves on.

Daryl looked around the room, he didn't normally like to get too involved in domestic abuse cases unless he was the officer called to a dispute of sorts. He was stuck right in the middle of this one with little choice to get out of it because he invited Carol into his home with her baby. He had got up with her during the night to help her with the baby. Mainly because he was sleeping on the couch and Carol had come wandering out to try and settle her by walking around with her.

Carol was too sore to walk for long, in the end it was Daryl who paced the house with the infant at his chest. Walking around in the dark only in his pj pants that he had pulled on because of a stranger in the house. He had quickly got the infant to sleep on his chest for Carol, who was still upset he could tell by her shaking hands. Her way of thanking him over and over for helping her as her hands fumbled trying to change the baby at another stage around 4am. Daryl didn't realize how often babies woke. Carol told him she normally brought the baby into bed with her but she felt to shaky to have her in bed incase she rolled on her or something.

They had asked Carol if she wanted to return to her house that she lived with Ed, she had told them she would rather live on a park bench. Daryl and his friends quickly assembled to get her moved quickly and painlessly as possible. Most of what she owned fitted into cardboard boxes and the baby stuff fitted into the back of Daryl's truck. Rick had broken into Ed's car last night to get the baby car seat so Daryl now had it in the back of his truck.

While they were mucking around in the room they heard a car driving up the drive. Daryl did a mental thought of who it could be. He knew for a fact that Ed was still locked up in Jail because he had checked himself on the way out to the house. He couldn't think of who it could be and Carol said she had no friends.

He did a mental check list of who would know they were here clearing Carol's stuff out of Ed's house. They had already seen Jo Greene who was organizing a flat for them to move into today. Actually its was Andrea's flat but Jo was there giving it a clean and sorting out a phone and power to be on by the time they got there when they left the house. They were not taking anything that wasn't Carol's or the babies.

Basically they were walking out with baby gear and a few clothes that Carol seemed to own. By the looks of things she had been sleeping on the floor on a mattress in the babies room in the corner. Which confirmed for Daryl that she wasn't actually with Ed rather than stuck with Ed because she didn't know how to get out.

He had gone outside to ring Merle to organise a new bed be taken to the flat for the women to sleep in. He was pulling out favours left right and center to get the flat set up while they had Carol with them. Merle confirmed that the bed had been donated by Dixon garage and was getting made up with brand new washed sheets. Andrea had told Daryl they didn't want to give any excuses for her not accepting help if everything she needed was already at the flat.

He had also mentioned to Andrea that neither Carol or the baby seemed to have many clothes and Andrea took that to mean she should go shopping to buy baby clothes and diapers. She also brought some clothes for Carol.

Daryl did worry how she was going to go for money, but if they stocked her up enough and she didn't get a bill for power and phone for a while she could get back on her feet. He actually hadn't asked her if she ever had a job or what she could do. He knew there were many odd part time jobs around town she could do and Jo Greene had already said to her this morning she would be happy to mind the baby while Carol worked a job if she had no one else.

Carol had nodded thanking the women for her kindness and said she may have no other option but to accept her offers for help with baby sitting. She didn't mention anything. Daryl could tell she was not really sure of anything at the moment and things were happening at a fast speed around her. Daryl didn't know how long Ed would be in jail, he knew that he had rung his parents to foot the bail fee, if they paid it he could be out as early as late this afternoon. They were going to ring him to let him know if he was released from jail.

Daryl had a restraining order put in place this morning with the judge to try and prevent Ed trying to access them. But restraining orders in his experience were only good if they scared the man enough not to attempt to come near her.

Carol was sitting on the floor of the baby room looking at him with big eyes feeding Sophia again. She looked worried sick to who could be coming, they could hear people walking up to the steps and knocking on the door.

'Its not him? Is it?' Carol whispered pressing herself into the wall, Daryl and Shane both shook their heads. If it was peoples heads were going to roll for not giving them time to get out of the man's house.

He rolled over putting the bolts into a plastic bag so he could find them again to put the bloody thing up again. Going to his knees he stood up looked at Carol and the baby telling them both to shhh by putting his fingers to his lips.

'I'm gona check it out ok, Stay here!.'He walked out of the room with Shane following him, carrying his box of baby toys and clothes. Shane opened the door to a older couple and asked if he could help them.

They quickly identified themselves and Ed's parents and had come to bail him out of jail for some misunderstanding between him and Carol. Daryl walked up behind Shane to listen.

'Do you know where Carol is, we want to talk some sense into her.' The man stated.

'Sir with all due respect we are not going to tell you where she is or disclose any information about what happened!' Shane stated.

'Where's our granddaughter?' The women asked.

'What are you doing in our son's house? What are you taking?' The man asked.

'We are taking a baby cot, bassinet, baby clothes, Carol's clothes and anything else that belongs to Carol!' Daryl stated from behind Shane.

'You can't do that, you can't just come into a man's home and take stuff.' The man stated.

'Watch me!' Growled Shane, pushing past them to go put a box in his car.

'We will call the police, report you for stealing.' The man stated.

'We are the police!" Daryl reached into his back pocket and flipped out his badge. 'We also would ask you to leave until we have Carol's and Sophia's stuff out of the house, if you want you can go bail your son out of jail and talk to him about what happened here last night. But ya are not coming near Carol or Sophia till after Ed goes to court." Daryl pointed out to the road, Shane walked up flashing his badge also and they older couple quickly left.

Shane called ahead to let them know that they were on the way to bail out Ed, to stall long enough so Daryl and Shane could clear the house.


	7. Chapter 7

Daryl put the bolts for the cot in his glove box, with Shane's help they quickly got the rest of the stuff loaded to move. Daryl just go a phone call to say that Ed had just left the building Carol was trying to buckle Sophia into her carseat, but since they told her they had to move fast her hands had started shaking. She was trying to keep it together Daryl could tell but at the moment her emotions seemed to be all over the show. Shane managed to convinced her that they wouldn't let anything happen, even if he arrived home before they got out of there, she was safe with them.

Daryl moved her out of the way and followed her directions to buckle the baby into the seat. He was trying to distance himself from Carol and the baby, but somehow or some reason they were both getting under his skin. Carol was a good looking women, he found himself glancing more than once in her direction. Shane had noticed, he was sure everyone of his friends had noticed. The baby was a sweet little thing and pacing the house early hours of the morning he had found himself kissing the babies head before he knew he was doing it.

He didn't even mind her when she pooped out the side of her diaper onto his couch. Carol had almost cried, then Daryl and Andrea said that they could just wipe it, and Merle spills shit on it all the time. The couch was easy to clean because it was leather anyway. Andrea's soft tones and the fact that Daryl wiped up baby poop convinced her that she hadn't committed the crime of the century.

Daryl thought to himself that he needed to get a grip on reality because he kinda liked Carol. Just a little bit, in a non platonic way. Even with her bruised face and shaking hands, there was something that was drawing him to her. He gave his head a shake and tried to clear his head a little. It was silly really but he couldn't shake the feeling that fate had stepped in and brought them into his life. Literary thrown them in his hand. He reached out to steady Carol and help her into his truck, then moved around to get into the truck himself to follow Shane down the drive.

They had just driven out onto the road when Ed's parents car was indicating to drive in. Shane flipped them the bird in the car ahead and drove off. Daryl fixed him with a stare as Ed pointed his finger at Carol who he could see in the front seat.

Carol tried to stop her sobs from coming out. It was a heart breaking sound, Daryl glanced at her and kept driving till he could stand the sobbing sound that were coming out like a choking sound. He felt sick to his stomach listening to her trying not to cry to be brave. He was having a hard time swallowing himself, and he been to car accidents and seen dead bodies but something about seeing blood splatter of Carol's on the wall tore at his heart. He also knew going back into the house seeing her own blood on the walls how lucky they both had been last night.

Daryl knew looking at the state of the house with things tipped over Carol had fought a hard fight last night. What he wouldn't do for 5 minutes alone with Ed now he knew the full extent of the damage he had caused to the house. When they got there the bassinet was tipped on its side. He knew that the baby had been in it, tucked in tight according to Carol so she didn't fall out as Ed's rage tried to get to the little one last night.

He couldn't understand why anyone would do that to a women or a baby yet he come across cases almost weekly where the women did go back. He was going to do everything in his power to give her the confidence that she knew she didn't need him any more and she was set free of this. If she needed it he would help her set up a group of friends. Andrea made friends easily, even Rick's wife Lori would introduce her to some of the other mums around town. She had a baby that was about 6 months.

He indicated and pulled over to the side of the road and unbuckled his seat belt and pulled her to him where she cried against his chest. She let it all go, it all went out she was shaking and crying. Daryl didn't know how long they sat there, he glance over to the car seat seeing the baby was asleep so she was ok.

'I've got ya. Its going to be ok. As long as you don't go back right!' Daryl muttered to her. 'Just don't go back.' And before he knew what the heck he was doing he kissed her head a few times not unlike the way he had kissed the baby during the night._ Claimed! He told that fucker last night he was claiming them and he was going to! Carol just didn't know it yet._


	8. Chapter 8

Carol held the baby and wandered around the little flat, there was a lounge with a little kitchen off it, with a little table and chair set. There was a couch and huge tv and dvd player. A baby swing and a large basket of toys off in one corner of the room. There were two ways into the flat. Via the front door or via the internal garage. If you went out the front door you had a tiny little grass courtyard. Big enough to play in but not huge enough you would have to buy a lawn mower. A little garden shed held a push mower.

A seprate toilet and bathroom, two bedrooms. One for the baby and one for Carol. Although at the moment Sophia would be sleeping near Carol. She was shocked when she looked around at how nice it was. Andrea had called it her dinky little flat and it was far from dinky in Carol's eyes. If was cute and she opened a cupboard in the kitchen to find it kitted out with plates and cups. Knives and forks. the pantry was stocked with more food than she had seen in her life. She dared not open the fridge.

Andrea was trying to show her some clothes in the cupboard in the little bedroom that she had picked out for her baby. That was her undoing for the second time that day as she began sobbing on Andrea shoulder. Daryl slipped in to see what was going on and Andrea turned Carol into his arms, taking the baby and leaving the room. Daryl wrapped his arms around her again to try and calm things down.

'Its ok, I told ya. Your going to be ok.' Daryl told her.

Shane and Merle had quickly moved in Carol's merger boxes into the little flat. Leaving them in the lounge for Carol to sort out for herself when she was up to unpacking.

'You want to stay here tonight?' Daryl asked her. Carol looked around the wee room and suddenly had all the thoughts running through her head.

'I guess so...' Came out her voice.

'Or you could come back to mine? or I can sleep on the couch here for a couple of nights till ya comfortable?' Daryl offered. He didn't know why he said it but he felt like he couldn't just walk out and leave when he knew she was upset and she knew Ed was angry at her.

'Thank you, you don't have too if you don't want too.' Carol whispered stepping away from him realizing that maybe he was just trying to off load them and was just being kind.

'Well grab a bag of ya stuff and come back to mine I got a early shift tomorrow, and I don't have my uniform here. Maybe tomorrow you will feel better?' Daryl told her, she nodded and tried to wipe away her tears.

Andrea and Merle were in quiet conversation on the couch looking at Sophia and playing a peek a boo game with her that she didn't know they were doing. Carol watched as the couple seemed generally interested in Sophia, her own father had only picked her up a few times, in fact Daryl had held her more than Ed.

'Right, we are all heading home, just going to grab some things and we will meet you there.' Daryl told them. Merle looked up and nodded, turning his attention back to the baby.

'You going to come stay at Uncle Merle's and Auntie Andrea's, don't go shitting on the couch, ok.' Merle teased Sophia. Andrea scolded him for saying shit in front of the baby, Merle looked up as to say sorry to Carol.

Carol quickly gathered a bag of clothes for her and Sophia, granted Sophia had 4x as many clothes as Carol. Andrea and Merle had long left, Carol gave Sophia a feed then they were ready to go. Daryl was getting into his seat when Carol cleared her throat.

'Ummm Daryl?' Carol started to ask him something,

'Yeah?'

'Ummmmm Sophia's Diapers, they're too big.' Carol whispered. Andrea had brought diapers but never having brought them before they were far to big, and Carol only had a few in her size left, due to most of them being destroyed by Ed.

'Ok so we stop and get more?' Daryl stated.

'Ummmmm I don't have any money.' Carol whispered with her face flaming.

'I think I can afford to pay for diapers Carol.' Daryl told her backing out of the garage onto the road. Carol glanced at him again.

'But she's not your responsibility, you shouldn't have to buy them.' Carol whispered Daryl could barely hear her.

'Well we either stop and buy diapers or she has a bare arse till you can afford to buy them.' Daryl glanced at her driving through town heading towards the supermarket. 'Lets just buy the diapers and any other shit Andrea didn't know to buy!'

Daryl drove into the car park and got out. Carol stayed sitting in the seat. He opened the backseat of the truck and unbuckled the baby for her seat held her against his chest so she was over his shoulder and walked around to open her door.

'Ya coming, they already think I stole a baby last night, what ya think they going to say when I walk in alone with a baby buying diapers in the wrong size?' Daryl tried to tease her and it worked she got out and reached for Sophia so he could lock his truck and they walked side by side into the store.

He grabbed a trolley in case they ended up buying more stuff than he could carry and they headed to the baby isle. Pretty much all Sophia's stuff had been smashed by Ed last night in a rage when he woke to find them gone. Tubs of cream and powder broken.

Daryl watched as she looked up and down the isle. He knew she was reluctant to put anything other than the one pack of diapers in. He put in another 3 packs the same type as her and shrugged his shoulders. He held his hands out for Sophia.

'Buy the shit you need...' He told her.

'But!'

'Christ women, if you feel that bad about it I will do you a trade, I've got about 5 loads of washing that needs doing and other shit, my bathroom need a clean, you can clean the kitchen floor with a tooth brush whatever, get the shit.' He whispered to her, he noted they were attracting attention.

Well he was. The local single good looking cop that turned down women all the time was standing in the baby isle holding a baby. Rumors had spread quickly last night someone had got wind, probably from Ed's parents that he had stolen the said baby he was holding and was having an affair with Carol. Which was why Ed had beat her. There was even one Merle heard today that Daryl might be the father. Daryl snorted at that considering he only known her less than 24hours.

Daryl fumbled in his pocket for his wallet to use his card to pay, he passed a sleeping Sophia back to Carol as the check out girls clucked like old hen's getting it first hand that Daryl Dixon was in the supermarket buying baby stuff. He pushed the trolley out to the carpark and loaded up the back of the truck. Carol had buckled in Sophia when he heard someone approaching the truck to try talk to her.

He looked and it was Ed's parents trying to push past Carol to see Sophia who was in the truck. Demanding that she give her up to them and they would help Ed raise her right rather than being with her mother who was already sleeping with a new man.

'No!' Growled Carol putting her hands up. 'Your not taking her!"

'Back off!' Daryl growled as he walked around the truck, they hadn't realized that he was even there, they saw Carol as she put the baby in the truck from the other side and decided to approach her.

'Come near her again, I will slap a restraining order on you both!' Daryl growled indicating for Carol to go around and get in the truck which she did quickly. Daryl reached inside the drivers door and locked it from the inside. He lost count of the amount of times he had heard of people trying to pull children from moving cars, he didn't want them to try and get Sophia.

'Give me your cell number, we will organise a meeting with a social worker so you can spend some time with Sophia supervised.' Daryl offered.

'We don't want to be supervised with our own Granddaughter, she's the one who needs to be supervised.' The man growled.

'Fine, see ya!' Daryl hopped in his truck and drove off leaving the older couple looking after them in the car park. Carol looked at him.

'Ya might have to let them see her, supervised visits. We have a room for that sort of stuff, here in town.' Daryl told her.

'I don't want Ed to have her even supervised.' Carol whispered to him.

'Yeah that'll happen over my dead body.' Daryl muttered driving towards his house.


	9. Chapter 9

Daryl was long gone by the time Carol and Sophia come out of his bedroom the next morning. He slept on the couch, gotten up when she woke during the night. Helped again pace the floor with the baby to help Carol. Although Carol felt better than she did the night before she wasn't up to pacing for the time needed to settle her again.

Being in strange surrounding has unsettled Sophia. Also she was picking up on Carol's nervous energy, stopping crying the moment Daryl took her. He was like the baby whisper or something. Or maybe he was so calm that it didn't matter who was holding her as long as it wasn't Carol.

'He's gone." Merle announced from the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter eating toast and drinking coffee. 'Andrea's gone too.'

'Oh ok.' Carol said, wondering what she should do now.

'He got picked up by one of the guys, left you the keys to his truck and the flat keys are here. Jo Greenes going to meet you at the flat around 10ish.' Merle mumbled looking at a note on the counter waving it out to her. She walked over to look at it.

_Jo Greene's going to spend the day with you,_

_let me know if you need anything._

_I'll stop by after my shift and check up on you_

_Daryl_

Carol read and re read the note. Daryl must have organised the women to come knowing Carol didn't really want to be alone. Merle offered to hold Sophia while Carol took a shower. He wandered around doing stuff that he needed to do one handed. Carol peeked out the bathroom door to see what he was doing, Carol wasn't sure but she was sure he was singing her something, half dancing around the kitchen with her tiding up. Carol was sure if she reviled herself he would stop. She showered and dressed, walking out, Merle was lying on the couch flying her in the air, asking her if she like her Uncle Merle looking after her.

Sophia was fully engaged watching him. Smiling, then Merle pulled her to his chest humming away to her, telling her secrets of the world. Sophia seemed to be enjoying her time with him. Carol was amazed that both Daryl and Merle were so good with her. Carol come out to the hall letting him know she was there. Merle just glanced at her and kept talking to Sophia.

Carol got her gear together and she headed off towards her new flat with Sophia in Daryl's truck. Merle headed off to work waving her goodbye. Carol drove down the road towards town hoping she remembered the way to the little flat and she got there before Jo Greene.

She didn't find it too bad driving his truck it was bigger than she was used too but she could still drive it. Next week she would have to look for some sort of job, get a breast pump and find something part time.

As she was driving into town she wondered if Ed had been to court yet. It was still early enough that he may not have. She glanced back at Sophia who had gone asleep in her seat, she looked in her rear vision mirror and a police car was flashing its lights behind her. She pulled over watching out the side mirror as Daryl got out of the drivers seat and walked up the side of the truck.

She couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in his uniform. She shook her head telling herself to stop those thoughts. She would be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. She was having trouble keeping focused on not looking at how handsome he looked thought.

'Morning, hows everything?' Daryl asked through the window.

'Good, you left early?' Carol asked him.

'6am, I'm just on my way to court, I'll come see you when he's been through.' Daryl told her.

'You think something might happen?' Carol asked.

'Nah not really, get a diaper bag packed and bags for a few days. Change of plan. You and Soph are going out to Jo Greenes for the day, then I'll take you back to mine tonight!' Daryl told her, he walked around the front of the truck and opened the back door to see Sophia.

'You don't have to come get me I can stay there. At the flat, I don't have to stay with you, I'll be ok.' Carol told him.

'No, your coming. You want to stay with Uncle Daryl right Soph?' Daryl asked the sleeping baby.

'Is there something your not telling me?' Carol asked looking around at him. Something wasn't quite sitting right here, she only known him for a few days but she got the feeling he was trying to keep something from her. He didn't meet her eyes and shook his head. He come back round to the front of the truck and leaned in through the window again, he reached out and trailed his fingers down her arm as to calm her.

'Not really, nothing really or something, we are not taking any chances though. The grandparents were seen buying diapers and formula, all sorts of baby stuff yesterday. They brought a car seat this morning...' Daryl said looking at her. Daryl watched as her face turned to ash, he reached out and touched her arm again. 'Its ok, your just going to the flat for a little bit Rick will be there, then out to Jo Greenes, no one's going to know where you are.'

'They are going to try take Sophia?' Carol asked him. 'Steal her?'

'I'm not going to let them take Sophia.' Daryl told her.

'Look I just spent the last hour sorting this, Rick's at the flat, he's going to follow you to Jo's, then I'm going to get you later, don't worry.' Daryl looked at her. 'I've got this. I'm going to court now to keep an eye on them, hopefully Ed will go to jail. With your statement and my statement he shouldn't get out today, also when his parents see the photos, photo's don't lie. They will know what he did.'

Carol pushed open the truck door and Daryl stepped back as she stumbled out and bent over and vomited all over the ground. Daryl stepped back onto the road and moved behind her to rub her back, she tried to wave him away with her hand. It wasn't her finest moment. She felt sick to her stomach and worried about everything now. She didn't want them to try take her baby. She wasn't a bad mother.

'You ok now?' Daryl asked as she stood up. She looked around noticing that Shane had got out of the police car to walk towards him. Daryl and Shane talked quickly and Daryl moved Carol into the passenger seat. Shane Climbed into Daryl's truck to drive.

'Shane's going to go with you and move you both onto Rick. I have to go to court. I don't have a choice or I would take you ok. You be ok, I'm going to get you a cell phone too ok.' Daryl quickly told her and patted her knee looking like he wanted to do something else. He gave Shane a quick nod and shut the door walked back down to police car pulled out from behind him and moved into town quickly.


	10. Chapter 10

Daryl hung out in the back of the court room watching them deny bail for Ed. He almost air punched the air. The evidence of Sophia's face and the photos of the house and the babies room meant that the judge saw what he had done to them. Daryl had given a brief statement of the events of the night. What state Carol and Sophia had been in.

Quick thinking of taking photos of them both and filing them had weighed in Carol's favour and after Ed went to trail he would be sitting in prison for a while due to his attack on them both.

Ed's parents sat near the front of the room, both sitting in silence as baby Sophia's face had been shown to the judge. Ed was led away in cuffs and Daryl gave him a little wave as he looked in his direction. Daryl kinda wanted to taunt him a little but he was in uniform and blowing him a kiss probably would reflect badly on him. Shane nudged him to get him moving out to the car park.

They were moving towards their police cruiser when he heard someone call him from behind 'Excuse me officer?'

Daryl and Shane both turned to the voice looking to see Ed's parents standing there.

'Yes?' Shane asked knowing that Daryl wouldn't control himself knowing what they knew what they had in their car to take Sophia or try take her.

'Are we able to see our Grand daughter?' The women asked.

'No sorry, Carol has said no.' Shane stated to them.

The women and man looked back and forwards to each other, Daryl nodded and walked off a bit in the car park to ring the Greenes to let Carol know that Ed was on his way to a place where other men didn't take to kindly to men who hit babies and women. Jo Greene answered the phone and passed it to Carol when Daryl asked for her.

'Its all over, he's on his way to jail,' He told her over the phone.

'For good?' Carol asked.

'He has to go to trail, but that could be months away,' Daryl told her, watching Shane deal with the Grandparents from where they were arguing with Shane.

'Look we have a situation with the Grandparents, I've got to go, ok?' Daryl said.

'What's going on with them?' Carol asked.

'Nothing, they're just asking to see Sophia, Shane's dealing with them.' Daryl said.

'I've been thinking, they can see her to say goodbye,' She said.

'Are you sure, they are all geared up with stuff to try and take her.'

'I need to face them, Can you organise something, at the police station? Come and get us?' Carol asked him.

'Yeah I can, really are you sure?'

'I want them to know, see what he did. I don't want them to threaten us with trying to take her.' Carol said.

'Ok one hour ok, but your having a police officer there right,' He told her.

'Can you be there?' Carol asked him.

Daryl looked around thinking of all the reasons he shouldn't be there with her and Sophia but not being about to say those reasons. Carol and Sophia had gotten under his skin in a way no one had. He knew he would physically fight anyone who tried to hurt them. Most likely he would jump the gun and plant anyone who even looked at them funny. He didn't know if he was the right person who should deal with Sophia seeing the Grandparents because he already felt like grabbing them both and running.

'I'll see what I can do, if its not me, Shane will be there ok.' Daryl told her. 'I'll come in a hour, right.'

Daryl hung up and walked across to where Shane and the Grandparents were. 'She will see you in one hour.'

'Great just tell me where she is and we will go to her house,' The Granddad stated.

'Nah, you meet me at the police station in an hour we will meet you there,' Daryl told them, turning indication for Shane to get in. They left the carpark and drove back to the station noting that they were being followed by the Grandparents who must have thought they were stupid and would lead them straight to them. Daryl and Shane left the carpark and led them on a merry little drive all over town. They even followed them through a fast food drive through with Shane thought was amusing.

Meanwhile from the car Daryl rung Merle to go get Carol and Sophia. He rang Carol to say Merle was coming and while Shane and Daryl drove around town with the grandparents following Carol and Sophia arrived in Merles capable hands. Shane drove back to the police station and both Daryl and Shane got out. They had lunch for Merle and Carol and headed through to the family rooms where the meeting would take place.

Carol was standing looking out the window. Merle was showing Sophia some pictures on the walls. Daryl could see the Carol was shaking as he crossed to her. She knew he was near and she turned around biting her lip while she was looking at him.

'They were following you?' She asked.

'Kinda, its ok though, we will be here, me and Shane, Merle too, if you want. You don't have to go through with this.' Daryl reached out to touch her hand which was shaking, she nodded.

'I do, they need to see her, and me. Hopefully seeing my face and hers might make them leave us alone.' Carol said, Daryl squeezed her hand.

'Well they are here, you want all of us or me or Shane?' Daryl asked.

'I don't know, you and Merle, Merle's very attached to her, you please stay?' Carol asked, she knew all her words didn't make sense at all. Daryl understood what she was saying and called out to Shane to let them come visit and see Sophia. Daryl wrapped his arm around Carols waist and Merle wandered over to offer her Sophia, she shook her head knowing she would probably drop her because her shaking was so bad.

'We won't say anything unless you need us too right. You give us the nod. We will back you.' Daryl told her. She nodded .

Ed's parents come into the room looking annoyed that they had to come into the visiting rooms at the police station. Ed's mother demanded she be given Sophia at once from Merle who just shook his head.

'No, your upset, I don't want Soph upset.' Merle told her quietly, he turned the baby so they could see her properly. They did see her properly, the huge bruise of her face seemed to shock them both. Ed's mother started to cry and apoligise to Sophia for what Ed had done. His father actually seemed to be in shock that the baby was injured. Daryl was pleased Merle had the baby he seemed to be more level headed about this. He also was huge and no one was going to be able to wrestle the baby off him even if they wanted too.

Ed's mother hadn't taken much notice of Carol or Daryl standing near the wall all her focus was on the baby. Daryl lead Carol over to a little couch for them to sit on. Ed's mother finally looked in her direction and did double take when she saw her face and arms. Carol was multi coloured covered in bruises. Daryl was still sitting beside her talking quietly about nothing trying to sooth her.

'Carol, I'm so so sorry...' His mother started to say. 'I didn't realize I thought he was telling the truth, but he hit both you and Sophia.'

In the end it was a nice visit with Ed's parents. Both seemed shocked they had believed that Ed was innocent. When they heard Daryl's tale of them coming through the woods and how badly it could have turned for Sophia they were shocked. They left in the end promising not to leave Sophia's life but if Carol would be willing to have open communication with them via emails or something. Carol agreed.

Carol was even more shocked when they were getting ready to leave Daryl handed her a envelop that Ed's father had come back to the police station to leave her. It was an envelope full of money, with a note saying that they hoped that it would help her get settled with Sophia so she didn't have to race out to find a job. Rick had kept an eye on their movements and it had been confirmed they had left town. Also by several other districts that were keeping an eye out for their car.


	11. Chapter 11

Merle left with Sophia and Carol. Daryl watched them leave from the car park. Shane slapped him shoulder.

'You have got it bad bro,' Shane laughed walking away.

'What?' Daryl asked.

'You have the hots for the baby mama,' Shane teased as they walked back into the building.

'No, not really,' Daryl said walking in behind Shane, Shane glanced at him and smirked. 'I don't, Shane , its not like that.'

'Well Merle told me your up doing diaper changes and walking the house with a baby, so me thinks ya might have a crush on the baby mama.' Shane teased.

'Stop!' Daryl warned walking to his desk looking at files, a instant message come through to his screen he hope it wasn't what he thought it was.

_If you don't like her_

_why do you keep staring at_

_her tar tars everytime she gets them out._

Daryl stared at his screen trying to think of something to reply. Did he really stare at them every time she fed the baby? God the poor women every time she fed the baby he did look, he was a pervert. He needed to stop looking, did everyone else know. Daryl looked around the office watching his co workers come and go no one was watching him not even Shane who appeared to actually be doing work.

Carol was going to hate having him around soon. He needed to get his shit together. He had to do some actual work before he picked her up from Jo Greenes to go to her new flat. She decided they should stay there now that Ed was gone and the grandparents were gone. She actually looked excited to get out of his house. He finished up the last few things then headed home to get any gear she left behind. He grabbed a bag of clothes to change into, then stood looking into his wardrobe to take out another uniform in case he ended up sleeping on the couch there.

He suddenly worried if he was assuming to much, maybe she didn't need his help tonight. He stared at his uniform for long enough before just grabbing it and hanging it up in the back of the cab of the truck. He threw his bag in then remembered that he forgot to grab his shower stuff. Running back inside to get his shit so he could at least shave and shower without having to use girly stuff.

He shoved his toilet bag in his bag and got in to drive towards the Greene farm. He thought about what Shane had said about liking Carol. He knew he did because of the way his body reacted to hers every time he held her. He was sure she hadn't noticed but soon she might notice that he was sporting a hard on if she kept seeking comfort in his arms. Daryl half groaned as he drove up towards the old farm house. He could see Carol and Jo sitting outside on the swing seat. He could see Carol had the baby at her breast and he let out another groan hoping he wouldn't be staring at her boobs again.

He got out of the truck giving them a wave. Hershal come wandering out of the barn to talk to Daryl.

'Daryl haven't seen you around for a while, heard you been taking care of these two girls for a few days?' Hershal asked him.

'Yeah, kinda, couldn't leave them, you know.' Daryl told Hershal.

'She seems a nice girl Daryl, you treat her right.' Hershal told him.

'There's nothing going on, we are friends I hardly know her,' Daryl told him.

'That's not what your eyes are telling me Daryl, you glanced their way at least 20 times in the few moments I been talking to ya.' Hershal stated.

'I like them but not like that,' Daryl stated nodding at Hershal hopping to get the hell out of here before Jo Greene decided to marry them off or something. He walked up the porch greeting them both. Carol had Sophia over her shoulder rubbing her back.

'Can you take her while I get her gear?' Carol asked him, he walked over and took Sophia snuggling her up kissing her head. He turned to look at Jo Greene, Hershal had followed him up the steps and he was smirking. Jo had a smile on her face.

'Thanks for today, we got everything sorted. Its good to know they were safe and out of the way.' Daryl told them.

'Any time Daryl, I enjoyed the company today. Sophia's a lovely little baby,' Jo commented.

Daryl looked at the lovely little baby who did a massive burp over his shoulder and lolled her head to the side as to say she was done and needed to sleep.

'She's pretty cute. Carol probably filled you in on everything, but Jo you will go in and check on them and visit during the week? Carol's moving into her flat for good tonight.' Daryl told them.

'Yes I will visit, Carol has our numbers and cell phone number. I told her I would watch Sophia if she needed to go to work.' Jo told him. Daryl nodded wondering what Carol could be doing, he wanted to get going and have a shower and get out of his uniform and veg out.

Carol come out with the bag of baby gear and a car seat. He reached out and took the bag with one hand and he had Sophia in the other. He bid them goodbye and headed to the truck while Carol said goodbye to the Greenes finally following him down to the truck with the car seat.

Carol got Sophia in her seat and looked across noting the uniform hanging and Daryls bag and climbed into the truck.

'You planning on staying tonight?' She asked him.

'That depended on you really, I didn't know if you wanted to stay alone or not?' Daryl countered.

'I don't think I'm up to pacing the room with her if she needs it. Please I would like that. But won't people talk?' Carol asked him.

'Talk about what, me staying? Shit they already think I stole the baby, or Sophia's mine anyway, old gossips in this town, who cares?' Daryl asked her.

'I just didn't want you to feel you have to stay, I could stay at the Greenes, they offered, until I got better.' Carol told him.

Daryl threw her a look and pulled over on the side of the road. 'You wana stay at the Greenes? Or you want me to stay? Yes or No? Its up to you, there's no right or wrong answer here, I just want you to feel safe ok.'

'No take me to my new home, you don't have to sleep on the couch. That beds big enough that we both could sleep like star fish and neither of us would touch.' Carol told him. 'I mean I could share, we could have a sleep over or something, nothing going to happen.'

Daryl blushed a little hoping she wouldn't notice, she wasn't looking she was staring out the window chewing on her knuckle wondering what the heck she was doing. Jumping out of the fat into the fire inviting him for a sleep over almost. She just hopped she could keep her hands to herself. Daryl coughed to clear his throat and drove back towards town.


	12. Chapter 12

Carol carried the car seat with a sleeping Sophia in it and quickly transferred her to her little bed. Carol pulled it out to the lounge and left it in the corner, she turned and looked at Daryl who was humping some bag's inside. He'd parked in the drive as he didn't have the thing to open the door of the garage. He was wandering back and forward with her things from his house to bring them inside.

'I like to keep an eye on her while she's sleeping cos of her head.' She told him he just nodded and went through putting the baby bag and his gear into the spare room. He fiddled around and lit the fire to try warm the little flat up quickly. He sat and watched it burn for a bit to make sure it wasn't going to go out.

'I'm going to shower and change ok?' He asked her. He walked over to where the cupboard holding the towels were. He been to this flat plenty of times before while Merle was dating Andrea and he knew where everything was because Andrea was a creature of habit and put everything for Carol where she would keep it. He moved about the bathroom shuffling about getting his shower gel and stuff he wanted into the shower. He looked around noting that Andrea must have filled it with every sort of girly stuff she could find.

He pulled open a draw and found not one but two boxes of condoms and ky jelly. Beside that was boxes of tampons and lip gloss, make up and tooth paste and brushes. He pulled out the lip gloss untwisted it and sniffed it, it smelt like cherries. The next next drawer down was full of baby stuff, powder and creams. enough to lather the baby from top to toe for months. He knew he was snooping, but Carol didn't know about these things yet. He hoped that gave him a free pass. He went back to the top drawer and pulled out a box of condoms wondering why they brought them for Carol. He shoved them back in the drawer and turned the shower on trying not to think about her needing condoms for any reason.

She had nodded to him as he left the room she moved towards the cupboard for something for dinner. In the end she pulled out some frozen chicken breasts and put them in the oven. She threw potato's into bake and went about chopping some veggies. She could hear the shower running and tried not to think about the man naked in her bathroom. She couldn't stop thinking about him naked in the bathroom the more she tried to stop the worse it got. She was starting to get flustered trying to get dinner sorted. She figured they had an hour before Sophia woke up to play as she did, deciding she wanted to camp out on Carol's chest for a few hours to fill up for the night. She pulled herself a glass out of the cupboard to have a drink so she had something to feed the little girl.

She could hear Daryl's phone ringing from where he left it on the kitchen table she picked it up and carried it to the bathroom door. She knocked on the door.

'Your phones ringing,' She called out. She heard a bang of the shower door and a wet hand come around the door to take it. She stepped away as she heard him give a gruff hello.

'Carol and Daryl sitting in a tree!' Come the taunting voice over the phone.

'The fuck you want?' Daryl muttered.

'Just wanted you to know that the Grandparents are back in town, park your truck in the garage.' Shane told him. 'Apparently they driving the streets according to Rick. He's got them bailed up on the side of the road on false pretenses because at this stage they done nothing wrong, won't take long to spot your truck man. They seen it already.'

'Fuck thanks man.' Daryl grabbed a towel.

'Daryl what are you doing I can hear water running?'

'I'm having a fucken shower,' Daryl growled.

'You ain't got time to dress man move that truck!' Shane growled. 'Rick can't hold them for long.'

Daryl hung up and wrapped a towel around his waist and raced out to the lounge passing a surprised Carol who stood there with her mouth open watching him as he picked his keys up off the table, turned off the lights on his way past and went through the garage opening it with the automatic opener and raced out to his truck to drive it in. It was dark now and cold as he hopped for foot to foot climbing into the truck. His balls were wet and freezing. He couldn't believe what he was actually doing for that women.

He shut the garage door and raced around in his towel pulling the curtains of the house, then he turned the lights on again. When he did he turned and looked at her. She was looking at him, taking him in standing there in his towel. She looked him from wet hair to toe and back up again. She gave a little cough and tried to clear her throat.

'Ummm don't open the door to no one, I'm just going to finish my shower ok, 5 minutes right,' He told her. He knew what she was looking at, his scars, he didn't blame her, they were pretty shocking to see. He kinda got used to them and not wanting many to see them so he moved quickly back to the bathroom to unfreeze his balls in the raced through and finished rinsing himself finally coming out to dress in jean's and a tee shirt.

'What happened? What's going on?' Carol asked him from the kitchen, Daryl paced the lounge and stopped to watch Sophia sleep for a little bit not really knowing what was going on. Rick was trying to get to the bottom of it.

'Looks like Ed's parents pulled a bait and switch,' He told her.

'Bait and Switch?' Carol asked.

'Like lulled you into fake pretenses, they back, driving around town looking for ya or my truck or Shane's car,' Daryl told her, he was watching her reaction and she turned back to check the chicken.

'I thought they were too good to be true today, pretending to care about her, I got that feelings from them,' She commented from inside the oven. She kept her back to him. 'So what now, Sophia and I can't do anything now because of them. We are hostages in our own home because of them?

'No it won't be, we just need to see what they want. We want to find out what's going on with them,' Daryl said.

'They want Sophia, this is never going to end. They are going to harass me until I make a mistake and they can prove I'm a bad mother or something. To take her!' Carol turned around to look at him. 'They won't stop, Ed's dad is just like Ed. He never stop, he likes the control. Now I'm trapped, and your stuck here, even if you wanted to go you can't because they are driving around looking for your car.'

'Carol, I'm not here because I have to be. If I didn't want to be I would have put you in the womens refuge or something.' Daryl told her, she looked at him when he said that.

'Theres a women's shelter here and you took us to your house? Why? Why didn't you?' Carol asked him.

Daryl starred at her for a bit then said, 'You want to watch a movie or something?' Changing the subject. Truth be told he could have gotten someone to take them but he honestly didn't want them to go there and he was ok if they stayed with him. He also was ok with staying there tonight. He didn't want to leave even though they hadn't talked about anything.

'A movie? Changing subject there Daryl? I think Andrea got some, if you can work that thing, Dinners nearly ready then I want to bath Sophia.' Carol told him pointing in the direction of the tv. He nodded and went through the pile of movies in the end picking one that he knew was Andrea's favourite when she was in need of a laugh, he shoved it it and sat on the couch accepting the plate and drink Carol past him. Waiting for her to sit with her dinner he pushed play and they sat quietly watching the movie. Carol kept glancing at him.

'What?' He asked her.

'When did you get shot?' Carol asked. 'It is a gun shot right?'

He looked at her knowing she must have given his body a real good looking over to notice a old shot wound over some of the other scars his body had.

'Last year, that's why Merle and Andrea live with me. They moved in after to help me and now they just ain't moved out.' Daryl told her.

'Really, was it really bad?' Carol asked.

'4 months off work,' He said wondering what else she was going to ask him. He finished his plate waiting for her to finish her taking both plates to the kitchen then as he come back Sophia woke up. He picked her up and cuddled her watching Carol. 'What else you want to know?'

'The other scars?' carol asked.

'My old man. He was an arse, guess that's why I'm here because he hurt sophia. I know what thats like. No kid needs a dad like that ever.' Daryl told her holding Sophia snuggled against him rocking back and forwards on his heels. Carol nodded watching him walk away to get Sophia a diaper and wipes. Handing all them over to Carol to take care of.

Carol gave her a quick feed and bathed her in the big tub in the bathroom. She opened the top drawer remembering Andrea saying there was baby stuff in the drawers in there. She come out shocked holding a box of condoms. She blushed and shoved them back in. Holding a naked baby waiting to get in the bath she looked through the drawers. Andrea had thought of everything. Including birth control for her. Carol really hoped Daryl hadn't needed anything from the drawers.

A few hours later Carol had a shower and changed into P.J's climbed into bed beside Daryl in the huge bed. She had put pillows down the middle so he wouldn't think she was hitting on him. Not that she was ready for that but she hadn't slept with Ed for over 9 months and that wasn't something she was proud of. Her biggest mistake ever was sleeping with Ed then moving into his flat when she found out she was pregnant.

'You got enough of a barrier between us? Your not going to catch cooties?' Daryl asked.

'I don't think I'm going to catch cooties, I just don't want you to think I'm a slut or something, I guess?' Carol said looking at him. He had on a tee shirt and boxers and she was in PJ's.

'I don't think your anything, can we just get rid of the mountain of pillows, I can't sleep with a wall here, the pillows are taking up most of the bed. There's hardly any room to lie down. We most well sleep on the floor.' Daryl said.

Carol looked across at him. He was right he was half off the bed. She giggled and started throwing pillows from the middle of the bed at him. He grabbed one and hit her back gently.

'Stop, you'll wake the baby, I just got her to sleep,' Daryl teased her. 'Her Mama got lazy legs so I have to walk the flat with her.'

'Don't tease me, I can't help it. I'm sorry about the pillows now shhhh your the one who's going to wake the baby.' Carol told him. Daryl threw the pillows off the end of the bed one by one.

'Go to sleep. Shhhh now.' Daryl told her, they both lay there in the quiet in the dark listening to the sounds of the night and the sounds of Sophia quiet snorts while sleeping.

'Carol?' Daryl said in the dark after about ten minutes of laying there.

'Yeah?'

'I'm lonely,' Daryl whispered, 'I'm scared over here.'

'Daryl, honestly?'

Daryl reached out in the dark and tugged her over towards him where they lay wrapped up in each others arm's she lay her head on his chest and he stroked her hair, they both went to sleep deeply. Until the little hours of the morning when Sophia made herself known for some milk from her mother.


	13. Chapter 13

Daryl was in a deep sleep snuggled almost under the blankets, cuddled up to something warm or some one warm he felt at peace like everything was the way it was supposed to be. Sleeping calmer than he had since he was shot, when he felt it trying to get away from him. He held on tight not wanting to let the feeling go.

'You have to let me go,' A voice whispered, a hand come across his shaking him a little. 'Its ok, I'm not going anywhere, Sophia crying.'

The hell,' Daryl moaned, he could hear a baby crying and tried to shake himself awake. Suddenly remembering where he was and who he was with.

'Fuck, shit, sorry.' He mumbled struggling up out of the blankets looking across at Carol reaching out of the bed to pull the baby into bed with them, helping her root around at her chest. Daryl watched as Sophia found a nipple and started sucking for the milk that she wanted. He shut his eye to block out the light.

'You need anything?' He mumbled. 'A drink? Can I make you a drink or something?'

'Your going to get up to get me a drink?' Carol asked looking at him in wonder.

Daryl looked at her and at the baby with half a sleepy look on his face. 'Don't ya need to keep drinking to make milk for her?'

'Yeah but no one's offered to get me a drink before. Its ok, I have a water bottle there.' She indicated with her head.

'OK, I'm going to take a ...' Daryl stopped talking. 'Use the toilet.'

'Ok, if your getting up can you get me some bars or something to eat?' Carol whispered looking a bit worried that she was asking for something she shouldnt'.

'Ya don't have to be scared of me, I ain't done nothing to ya.' Daryl told her as he rolled out of the bed. 'I'm not going to flip my lid cos ya want to eat something.' He mumbled staggering out of the room still half asleep. Carol heard the toilet flush and the sink water running. She heard him bang into a wall as he moved around the house in the dark, swearing at things.

He come back in bearing a box of bar's a banana and a handful of cookies, and a glass of milk.

'Its all for me.' He teased her shoving a cookie in his mouth watching her from his side of the bed.

Carol looked at him, he then unwrapped a bar and handed it to her, she started to eat it while keeping an eye on Daryl and a eye on Sophia. Daryl crawled back into bed drinking the milk then offering her half of it. Carol took it and drank some.

'Don't drink it all we wont be able to dip our cookies.' Daryl told her.

'Your a big kid you know,' Carol teased him.

'Tired kid, how often does she wake?' He asked.

'Depends. two or three times. Sometimes more sometimes less.' Carol told him. 'Mostly until I met you we slept together. I was stressed, she was stressed. So neither of us got much sleep for the past 3 nights' she's been better.'

'Cos your away from him?' Daryl asked.

'Not walking on egg shells helps me, it helps her, babies pick up on things.' Carol looked at him. 'I've been thinking, I think we, me and Soph will use the money to buy a cheap car and leave. Move away. They won't stop. I can't live like this and you were going to sleep on the couch. We are a burden to everyone.'

'NO!' Daryl almost shouted.

Sophia started to cry and Carol rocked a little to calm her.

'We can't stay here. We can't keep having people baby sit us all day and night till they lose interest. If I take the money and run.' Carol started saying.

'No, No fucken way, its not happening.' Daryl stated reminding himself not to raise his voice. 'Your not going. You can't, what about me? Us?'

'Us? Daryl do you think there's an us?' Carol glanced at him.

'Of course there's a us, I don't know what that is yet, but ya not leaving with Sophia, I'll lock ya in a jail cell if you try.' Daryl looked at her. She knew he was only half joking.

'Carol, ya can't go, what would you do when the money runs out, work with Sophia, who's going to look after her. You be in some cheap motel or flat. Ya can't leave.' Daryl told her, almost pleading with her.

'I can't have people baby sitting me all the time. They won't give up.' Carol told him.

Truth be told she didn't want to go anywhere, she moved Sophia to her other breast and settled her there.

'I don't know what else I can do Daryl. What do you want me to say. Look at me. I'm covered in bruises. I've got a black eye. I just left another man and your in my bed.' Carol spat out at him. 'I don't know what else to do. What do you want me to do?'

'I don't know, I just know this, us, we are a thing. I don't want you to go. Call it fate or whatever, you can't go until we work this out.' Daryl spoke quietly and Carol moved Sophia off her and pulled her top up. She lay her on the bed and changed her bum. Picked her up to cuddle and burp her stroking her little head. Carol settled her back into her little bed then moved out of the bed. Daryl reached out to touch her.

'Where ya going?'

'Toilet, two minutes ok.' Carol whispered ducking away. Daryl lay back on his back listening to Sophia snort and fart. He smirked to himself about a little thing like that making such a big noise. Carol come back in and turned off the little lamp by her bed and climb into the bed.

She moved over and Daryl put his arms' around her. 'What if, what if I move in here? Into Sophia's room. We all know she aint going to sleep in there.' Daryl squeezed her to him. 'What if I move in there like as a flatmate or something until his parents give up then, then we talk about us?'

'I don't know, I don't want you to be put out, and Sophia's not your responsibility anyway.' Carol whispered in the dark willing herself not to cry, she was tired and emotional.

'Shhhhh don't cry, two weeks, then you can rethink the moving thing. Wait give time to heal.' Daryl whispered/

'I'm not crying'

'Oh I think you are, I can help with that.' He pulled her in tight and kissed her gently on the mouth. 'Shhhh now, lets get some sleep before the monster wakes.'

'She's not a monster.'

'She is, you should have heard her burping and farting while you were out of the room. Monster farts.' Daryl chuckled in the dark. Carol tapped his chest for making fun of Sophia.


	14. Chapter 14

So the next morning a bed was delivered to the flat and put into the garage by two men from the store. Daryl swung by at lunch time with Rick in tow to set up his bed and Carol watched from the doorway as Rick helped Daryl put the sheets on. It was some sort of dirty playboy story or something. Both of them in uniform half stripped because of the lifting involved.

Carol couldn't help but swallow as Daryl reached over to move something and his dress shirt gave away from his pants and she caught another glimpes of his stomach. Carol blushed and moved into the lounge to get them a drink. Looking at the time they wouldn't have much longer before they had to go back onto duty.

'Ok, we done as much as we can. You happy to stay here? We can take you over to the Greenes?' Daryl asked her coming into the room again. Carol sniffed the air and could tell he had sprayed himself with deodorant again and it was mucking with her senses.

Daryl reluctantly agreed to let her stay home at the flat if that was all that she was doing and not to go out until they got to the bottom of why Ed's parents were back in town. As far as they knew no one had told them were Carol was staying because no one knew.

'I'm off shift at 3 so if you want to go for a walk or whatever we can do that then, I just got to get changed then we can do something?' Daryl asked her looking in the basinet at Sophia who was sleeping.

'Hmmmmm with big sunglasses on and a hat over my face until all this goes?' Carol indicated to her face.

'Its not that bad its getting better,' Daryl told her.

'A walk will be great, sounds good.' Carol told him. Rick and Daryl left and Carol locked the door behind them and went back to doing nothing, but lying on the couch snoozing waiting for Sophia to wake. She only had about 2 hours until Daryl come back so she took the time to lie down and rest. Her body was still recovering from the beating it took, she was feeling better but a sleep would be great.

Thats where Daryl found her an hour later when he let himself into the flat via the garage. He was early he had got back to the station and they had let him go because he needed to talk to Carol. They knew the grandparents had been around looking for carol so they thought that she would be better to have Daryl off duty rather than sending a police officer to keep an eye on her. They had looked into the Grand parents history and the dad made Ed look like a saint. Daryl felt sick when he read some of the stuff he had done to his wife over the years and his kids.

His own daughter had a restraining order on him so that told them a lot. Once Daryl had had a quiet word with his captain that he had offered to stay over with her until the grandparents had shown their hand or left for good. He raised his eyebrows at Daryl when he said he was staying there.

'Its not really my case, Captain, Rick and Shane did all the details I just happened to be camping.' Daryl stated.

'Dixon, are you trying to get into that womens pants?' His Capain Abe Ford asked him.

'I can neither comfirm or deny Captain.' Daryl stated. To be honest he didn't know what the fuck he was doing. He was chasing tail he thought but it was more than that. It had to be because he wasn't going to be mucking around with someone with a baby if it wasn't more than that. He spent the past 12 or so years trying to avoid ever ending up with a baby in tow by accident or a mistake. He didn't think it was a mistake that Carol and Sophia come into his camp that night.

'Dixon, don't do anything that's going to make me regret not telling you to keep away from that women.' His captain told him, 'Tread carefully Dixon, don't make me regret giving you paid leave to go play house.'

'No Captain, I won't. Thankyou.' Daryl told him walking out of the office. Rick looked at him as he was leaving.

'Lucky son of a bitch. Maybe I can get paid leave next time Lori's parents come to town pretending they are a treat,' Rick muttered. 'Its not like that,' Daryl told him.

'Yeah righto like you don't get a hard on looking at her all the time. Whatever Daryl,' Shane muttered walking past him giving him a friendly nudge. 'Use protection you don't want two babies under one to look after.' Shane winked at him.

Daryl gave a chuckle and left the building heading out to his truck to head away. Ed's parents were no where about so it was fine to go straight to the flat. He drove around the town once in a lap to make sure before driving straight to the flat.

He couldn't say that he didn't spend a few minutes watching her sleep before he felt if she woke she might find it a bit creepy so he went through and took a shower then went to get dressed in the other set of clothes he had there. By the time he got out to the lounge Sophia was awake, making noises in her bassinet and Carol was still sleeping.

Carol's face was still so bruised and sore looking. He picked her up felling her bottom deciding that she would probably wet him through, he thought about changing her then decided against it. Then he decided he would give it a go. Carol was snoring and at the moment Sophia didn't seem to want milk so he went and got one of the diapers and wipes. He put her on the change table and managed to change her. It actually wasn't that hard. The first time he picked her up it fell to the ground so putting it on a bit snugger he managed it. Then managed just to get her stretchy pants up.

He all but high fived Sophia for him doing the diaper. Daryl tucked her in over his shoulder and walked back into the lounge and started hunting for food in the fridge. Making a sandwich with one hand was harder than changing the diaper he decided. So he grabbed a banana and made a coffee while he waited for Sophia to wind up.

He was pottering around in the kitchen talking softly to her when he glanced in Carol's direction noticing that she was awake watching him.

'I'm off now until what ever happens with the grandparents happens.' He told her.

Carol sat up on the couch looking at him. 'You took time off for us?'

'Kinda, ummmm they wanted to put a cop on ya so its either me or Shane and Rick and the other guys on shifts. He's got an impressive record. Ed's Dad.' Daryl said looking at her.

'What kind of record?'

'Lets just say he's not a nice man, ya can't be on ya own till they gone,' Daryl said. Sophia began to grizzle a little, Daryl was sure it was because she could hear Carol's voice. 'You want your Mama? Here she is. I changed her.' Daryl passed her Sophia.

'You changed her?' Carol asked, she knew she was repeating herself but he surprised her when she woke up that he was talking and cuddling her making a coffee, and now he said he changed her for her. Carol felt like she wanted to cry. It was all a bit much and over whelming all of it. Now it was just going to be the two of them until Ed's parents actually left. Carol latched Sophia to her breast and Daryl turned away looking everywhere but at her.

'Does it make you uncomfortable?' She asked him, indicating to the baby.

'Nah, just Shane pointed out I was staring at ya chest while your feeding her, I don't want you to think I'm a pervert.' Daryl muttered staring at the wall.

'I think its sweet that your watching, its cute. I don't mind you watching, its just milk.' Carol indicated for him to sit down and he did on the end of the couch turning so his back was on the arm rest watching Carol feed Sophia.

'Its natural. Your interested in whats going on. I don't think your perving or anything.' Carol said stroking Sophia's head. Daryl watched, he was getting far to attached to that baby, to attached. Knowing that she wasn't even his and things could go weird or Carol might not even like him like that. To many thoughts were going through his mind.

'Walk? You up for a walk or what do you want to do?' He asked her in the end.

'Yeah I can walk, not to far though. Maybe you could get that pram Andrea got Sophia?' Carol asked him. He nodded and moved to the garage to get the pram. Soon Carol was finished and she gave Sophia to Daryl to burp while she got shoes, a hat and sun glasses on.

Soon they were walking around the block slowly with Sophia. Carol was done half way home and Daryl debated running back to get his truck. In the end he put his arm around her to help support her walking. She still was suffering from Ed's attack. They sat on a fence for a while talking and Daryl rocked the pram with his foot. Sophia was talking to herself and happy.

Finally they made it back to the house where Carol fell towards the couch to lie down. Leaving Daryl to get Sophia out of the pram.

'You ok?' He asked.

'Just everything is sore and old.' She said from her face in the seat of the couch.

'Ok, I'll do dinner, you watch tv.' Daryl handed her Sophia when she sat up and went to look for something to cook.


	15. Chapter 15

For the next ten days Daryl and Carol danced around each other the odd touch here and there, the passing of Sophia back and forwards between them. They went for walks and Carol's face had cleared enough for her to feel like they could go to the supermarket without people staring at her.

Daryl was wondering about how he was actually going to try and get closer to Carol. Carol had invited Andrea and Merle for dinner, she asked Daryl to come to the supermarket. He was wandering around beside her carrying Sophia in his arm's when he remembered he needed some shaving cream. He wandered off to get them with Sophia, he passed some local single women on his way. He gave them a nod as he stopped to pick up some razors.

The two women wandered down the isle talking about what they saw. They didn't see or know who Carol was. Carol was picking out a chicken for dinner a little way down from where they were abut she heard it all. All their trash talking about her and about her baby, they didn't know her or anything about it. Just rumours around town.

'See I heard she's some women who trying to get her hooks into him.'

'Daryl Dixon in the supermarket with a baby, could he get any hotter looking.'

'Apparently she's jumping straight from the babies father to him.'

'Is she fucking him already?'

'Heard she moved him in. A bit slutty if you ask me.'

'Are we sure Dixon isn't the father?'

'Doubt it. The amount of women who have tried to climb him like a tree, unless she has a magic vagina.'

'Well then she's a whore, looking for a meal ticket. He's falling for it.'

'Hopefully he doesn't'

The women saw Carol staring at them, she was sure they didn't know who she was, Daryl was walking up the isle with Sophia, chatting away to her and he smiled when he got close to Carol. He took in her face.

'Whats wrong?' Daryl asked her, she shook her head turned her face was flaming red, she then spun out of the shop, he looked past her to the two women who he knew by sight only. 'What the hell did you say?'

They shook their heads and moved away fast. Daryl sighed and tried moved towards the check out with Sophia. He looked to the car park and could see her standing near to the exit. He unloaded the trolley one handed onto the counter and pushed the trolley out to the car park. Pushing it to a stop by Carol.

'You going to tell me what the hell happened?' He asked.

She shook her head and took Sophia from him and followed him to the truck. They drove in silence to the flat where Daryl unloaded the stuff and Carol fed Sophia. They moved around each other quietly.

'I can't stand this Carol tell me whats wrong.' Daryl pleaded with her. He knew it was the women who said something. She was fine before talking with them and now she looked sick to her stomach.

Carol put Sophia to bed and Daryl took his chance by snagging her hand pulling her flush against him. 'Did I do something?'

'No,' She said quietly, 'Its all me.'

'What did you do?' He asked.

Carol just shook her head, she didn't answer Daryl's cell phone was ringing and he pulled away to answer it. He talked into the phone for some time in the hallway. Carol stuffed the chicken. Not that she felt like eating. Daryl had a movie picked. She kinda thought that tonight she might try her luck to kiss him but now the whole town thought she was a whore.

'Its over, Rick and Abe's picked them up. Abe did some digging and some ringing around, he's broken parole, Ed's Dad.' Daryl told her.

'Parole? Oh god, what?' Carol looked at him.

'He's a pedophile Carol. Convicted. That's why Ed's sister has the restraining order on him.' Daryl looked at her. 'You knew nothing?'

'I only met them a few times, Ed wanted to move away from where his parents were.' Carol looked at him. 'He wanted to move away because his fathers a pedophile? Did he know? Is that why he made us move?'

'Ed contacted his lawyer and the lawyer passed some information onto us, yes.' Daryl stated. 'It appears when Ed's father told him they were going to try get custody of Sophia, he signed his rights to Sophia away. Ed's it appears has done what he can do to block his father ever having contact with her.'

'Ed did that?' Carol couldn't work it out, he never wanted anything ever to do with Sophia. He hadn't made any effort for them to have contact with Sophia. Yet Ed never really wanted her he had turned around and made sure his father never ever ever got access to her either. Carol didn't really know how she felt about that either.

'Carol that still doesn't make Ed a nice guy, he still beat you.' Daryl stated, looking at her in the eye. 'He's going to try use this to get a light term.'

'Daryl I'm not stupid, I mean I was to stay with him. But I'm not stupid. Don't think I am.' Carol warned him.

'Anyway we are getting you a restraining order on him. But he's broken parole and been in contact with a minor and crossed state lines so he's going back to jail. His wife why she stayed with him I don't know is leaving as well. Ed's Dad getting a police car ride.' Daryl told her. Carol nodded.

She felt a bit overwhelmed. Free, lighter almost, she almost hugged Daryl then she remembered the women's words and remarks about her in the supermarket. There was no need for Daryl to stay with her anymore. The threat was gone.

'I'm going to take a shower can you watch Soph?' Carol asked him, blinking so he couldn't see her eyes filling with tears.

'Yip I'll start some veggies to then?' He asked her.

'Yes that would be good.'

Later that night after Merle and Andrea left Carol was sitting quietly feeding Sophia. Daryl sat down close near her. Sophia finished up and Carol put her over her shoulder, rubbing her back gently.

'So I don't need you here any more, they are gone now so you can go back to your own house tonight if you want.' Carol told him.

'What? You asking me to go.' Daryl asked her.

'No I'm telling you to go. I appreciate all you have done for us I really do, but we need to be on our own.' Carol told him.

'I thought we had something here? We just been taking it slow? Are you throwing me out out, or come back tomorrow for a walk out I just need some space?' Daryl asked. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach, she had been aloof all night. Her smile not meeting her eyes. Talking only with Andrea and Merle ignoring him completely. He didn't understand what was going on.

'I want you to go and just leave us be. There is no us. I was just using you to help me while Ed's parents were here to protect me.' Carol told him, she stood up moving with Sophia into her bedroom. 'Thankyou. I'll see you around I guess.'

'Carol, you don't mean this.' Daryl walked towards her to her bedroom door. 'What did they say? Why are you throwing me out?'

'I'm not throwing you out. There is nothing, nothing between us. You helped me out thats all. I don't owe you anything but some cash. I'll get you some money, but you can get your gear and leave me and Soph please.'

Daryl stood there for a minute not knowing what to do. 'Fine, I'll go.'

He turned and threw all his gear into a bag and walked through the lounge putting it into the back of his truck. He pulled out the pram and car seat. A small diaper bag from under the passenger seat and put it all on the floor. He walked back in and held his hands out for Sophia. Carol passed her to him knowing she was safe with Daryl.

'I'm sorry Princess, ya Mama said no, and she's throwing me out. Love you baby girl.' Daryl had turned his back on Carol whispering words to Sophia. Carol had a lump in her throat as she heard them. She tried. She was doing it for him and for her. So they wouldn't be the talk of the town.. She couldn't keep going with people talking about her like that, Daryl turned back and handed her back Sophia.

'Call me if you need anything, I mean anything right. Sophia needs anything, I will get it right.' Daryl told her.

Carol nodded and watched as he walked out through the garage and shut the door, She heard his truck start and the door open, the truck stop and the door to the lounge opened. He walked across and handed her back the garage door opener.

'You sure you want to do this? You don't want us? Me and You?' He asked her again.

Carol shook her head. 'I don't want you.' She whispered.

He head moved back like she slapped him. 'I'm not coming back, got it, your not going to throw me out one night and expect me to come back, I know timing isn't great. I'm not going to come back asking again.'

'Daryl, I don't want you. Please just go, don't come back. Just go.' Carol told him not meeting his eyes.

He turned and walked out through the garage door flicking the button to shut the door. She heard him swearing as he got into his truck and it roared off down the street. She put Sophia into her bed for the night. She went about locking the doors and checking windows and set about getting into bed to cry herself to sleep. She felt sick to her stomach she didn't know what else to do. She didn't want people calling her and her baby names and she didn't want them talking about Daryl either.


	16. Chapter 16

Two weeks later Carol was eventually talked into going to the carnival with Andrea and Merle as a way of getting out of the house. She wasn't to sure about it. Taking Sophia out in the dark at night. Andrea insisted that she would be fine and to put her into the new baby carrier she had and have her strapped to her chest and a warm hat and a blanket tucked around her she would be snug and warm.

She also knew that she hadn't left the house much since Daryl and her had their fight. Andrea had gotten pissed off ramblings from Daryl and the full blown panic attack from Carol with the blow by blow of what was said in the supermarket. It had made Andrea mad. No one had the rights to talk about Daryl or Carol like that at all and assume they knew anything about them.

Rick's wife was going to be there meeting them. In the end Carol found herself climbing into the back of Merle's truck with Sophia. Merle was fiddling buckling in her car seat to make sure it was all buckled in fine. Carol was surprised that she and Andrea had become fast friends so quickly. The past month had surprised her meeting them all and all of Daryl's friends taking her into their group quickly.

Daryl, Rick and Shane were all on duty at the carnival keeping an eye on the youths and general goings on. There were plenty of cops around that night, Carol kinda hoped she would get a chance to apologize to him. Carol hadn't really talked to Daryl that week. She wasn't sure if they were avoiding each other or if they were in a stand off with each other.

She wasn't sure what was going on, she knew that Daryl was probably smarting from her pushing him away. To be honest she didn't want to turn him away she just didn't think she would make many friends around town jumping from one man to the other. Not that she was jumping from one man to the other, but she missed him. She wasn't going to admit that to anyone. In such a short time she had gotten used to him being there. Helping with Sophia, doing little things. Her heart ached. She couldn't help but constantly call herself stupid for ever getting mixed up with a guy like Ed when there were guys like Daryl out there.

However she had well and truly stuffed it up. He hadn't answered any text messages during the week and she couldn't bring herself to ring and have it go to answer machine without him picking up his phone to talk. She didn't know how to fix it. If she hadn't heard people talk about her she imagined she would have let herself go there and be happy with him, now she was sitting at home at night alone plotting her future, as bleak as it was alone with Sophia.

'Daryl's working, he'll be there.' Merle told her after he buckled Sophia's seat to the truck. Carol had no doubt he knew about what had gone down at Carol's flat. She was actually surprised he was still talking with her. Andrea probably had something to do with that.

'Ok, so what happens at theses things?' Carol asked them.

'Nothing too major, we eat corn dogs, look at the rides. Drink some pop, watch the fireworks and make out like teens again.' Andrea tossed over her shoulder.

'I think I'll skip the last one.' Carol muttered.

'Well making outs optional,' Merle said from the drivers seat. 'Daryl might like that, but he's on duty.'

'Yes Merle, I know and I won't be.' Carol told him.

They pulled into a park and Carol put Sophia into her wrap, the night was cool. She put a warm hat on her. Then tucked a warm blanket around her, wedging her in by tucking it in around the baby, so her weight held it in place. She pulled her jacket on over top of the wrap and if you didn't look to hard you could hardly tell she had the baby strapped to her chest.

Andrea and Merle started to walk into the park with Carol following behind. She looked all around watching the Ferris wheel going around and around. With the lights flashing. Andrea grabbed Carol's hand so they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd as they moved through. Carol knew there was a meeting place but they hadn't said where it was and the next thing she knew Andrea's hand was gone as they separated in a large crowd in the park Merle and Andrea disappeared in the crowd quickly.

Carol stood there looking around having a slight panic. Sophia picked up on to her panic and gave a grizzle, Carol moved her in the wrap and managed to latch her inside her wrap. She began to move slowly around the carnival looking for them but she couldn't see them anywhere. She knew where the car was and she had a small over the shoulder bag with a diaper change if Sophia needed it.

Carol honestly didn't know what to do. She had a thought it was a long shot would be to find a police man and ask the to contact Daryl with their walkie talkies. Carol stood on her tipee toes looking into the crowd to see if she could see one, hopefully they would be wearing high visibility vests, that they wore at events like this.

Then she saw him. Handsome dressed in his police uniform moving through the crowd looking left and right. Like a man on a mission. Carol's stomach did a flip flop seeing him. It had been nearly two weeks since she had seen him. Since he had given them his smile. Right at the moment he looked a little panic'd. Carol wondered for a moment if he was looking for them.

He stopped and talked into his walkie talkie to someone on the other end. Carol slowly made her way to him from behind. She reached out and grabbed hand through the crowd. Scared he was going to move on and she was going to be stuck in the crowd alone with Sophia, or they would miss each other completely. She knew he would help her even if he was angry at her.

He turned and saw them and swooped down on her hugging her, snuggling into her neck kissing her there. She felt her whole body tremble as he did it and she felt him let out what could only be a sigh of relief. Her body felt like it was on fire. He had kissed her neck, then moved to her mouth, pulling back looking around realising he was on full display.

'Thank god. Christ women!' Daryl muttered holding onto her. He quickly spoke into his walkie talkie letting them know he found them. 'I've got at least ten guys looking for you.'

'I got separated, I didn't know where the meeting point was or anything?' Carol told him, she was still clutching his hand in hers and had another hand on the baby. She had tears in her eyes she couldn't help it. She was happy to be with him again, in his space. He wasn't mad. She wanted him and she was pretty sure he wanted her.

'She ok?' Daryl pulled back the wrap and could see Sophia latched well and truly to Carol, Daryl watched for a moment before bending down and kissing her head. 'Come on I'm meant to be on duty, I'll get you to the others, and for God's sakes stay close with them.'

'I didn't mean to lose them Daryl.' Carol tugged on his arm.

'I know Baby, just don't do it again.'

'Did you just call me baby?' Carol asked him.

'Hmmmmmmmm maybe, your my girl, Carol, even if you try and push me away.' Daryl told her, he then began to clear a way through the crowd. Everyone let him through a lot easier than her. It helped he was in uniform and no one wanted to get in trouble with the law so they parted like the red sea. Eventually they got back with the group.

Daryl introduced her to Lori, Rick's wife, Rick had a baby in his arms and his wife attached to his hip. Shane's girlfriend Sasha, and other friends of theirs, Maggie and Glenn. Rick and Shane were also on duty and they quickly left. Daryl looked at Carol, then at Merle.

'Don't fucken lose them again.' He directed to Merle. 'I'll find ya for the fireworks ok?' He bent down and caught her lips giving her a quick kiss, pulling back the wrap and kissing the babies head and started to move away.

Carol just stood there nodding watching him as he moved off through the crowd making his presence known to hopefully make people behave themselves. Andrea moved towards her.

'Sorry I lost you. That was a accident, but trying to get you and Daryl to hook up wasnt' She smirked.


	17. Chapter 17

Carol blushed at Andrea's words she looked around and no one seemed to be bothered about the way Daryl had been with her. He wasn't shy at what he was doing. He was quite forward in fact. As a group they moved around looking at different things, Daryl and Rick were patrolling together. They walked past twice stopping briefly to catch up, Daryl touched and kissed her every time he stopped.

It was pretty obvious to everyone including Carol that he was doing his best to let people know that they were together. Carol was getting some looks as he stood there talking to her on the one time in the middle of the crowd with his hand in hers not caring who was going to see him. Carol could see some people looking at him, at her.

It was getting towards the end of the night and Carol ducked into the parenting tent with Lori to change the babies when Lori spoke to her for the first time.

'Don't worry about what people say, women in this town are judgy bitches and don't know whats going on between you or Daryl' Lori told her.

Carol looked at her as smiled a little.

'Have you heard something?' Carol asked.

'What haven't I heard. Honestly, these people don't know Daryl if they are talking about him like that.' Lori looked at her lifting her baby back up into her arms moving to the side so Carol could change Sophia.

'If these women, and I do use that term loosely women knew anything about Daryl they would know he doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do. Its just because some of them have been trying to get into his pants for years and your a new comer.' Lori told her.

'Its just I don't want people to think badly of him, I'm already the talk of the town with a baby and her Dad's in jail.' Carol told her.

'Rick told me he doesn't wana be her Daddy no more, you got a hot guy begging to be her Daddy. So its all happening fast you want to throw that away because of timing? Grab it with both hands don't let go.' Lori said watching Carol doing up domes on Sophia.

'You want Daryl, I would say you have him. I've never seen him activitly kiss a girl in public before, never in uniform, and I've known him since high school.' Lori said, Carol was busy tucking Sophia into her wrap and Latching her at the same time. Loving the wrap that she could have hands free. She put a little hat on her and tucked the blanket around again.

Lori was wearing something similiar for Carl. Except he was bigger than Sophia, she was still tiny like a doll. Carl was in a front back rooting around looking for a boob also.

'How are you doing that?' Lori asked Carol, Carol showed her and Lori managed to do the same to Carl so she didn't have to sit and feed him also. She put her Jacket on and pulled a blanket up to her front. They headed out because the fireworks would start soon.

'How long have you been with Rick?' Carol asked feeling bold.

'Since I was 16, 14years. I known them since I moved here when I was 14, I went out with Shane first. He's a player, didn't work out. About a year later Rick took me to the prom and it was all over.' Lori told her.

They were walking trying to get to the fireworks the crowd was tough to move through, suddenly Carol had a flashlight flashing in her face.

'You look like you need a police escort to the fireworks?'

Carol moved her head out of the flash light and grinned seeing Daryl and Rick. She nodded. He put his arm around her followed Rick and Lori towards where the others were.

'Soph ok?' Daryl leaned over into her ear.

'She's having milk she's fine.'

'She ever get off the boob?' Daryl asked.

'Sometimes. She's not used to being out this late, what is the time anyway?' Carol asked him back.

'10pm, Its all over after this, I've just got to do the car's and traffic control then I'm finished. Parade tomorrow.' Daryl told her. They come to a stop by the rest of them. They all stood together watching the fireworks go off in the sky making loud booms. Daryl was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her. He had her pulled back hard against him. She had no doubt he was interested in her. She could feel it digging in her back. He kissed her neck.

He then began moving his hands into the baby wrap.

'What are you doing?' Carol hissed at him.

'Covering her ears, its too loud. It might hurt her ears.' Daryl said in her ear.

Carol stood watching for the duration with Daryl with his hands in the baby wrap with his hands over Sophia's ears because it was too loud. She shook her head in wonder of this guy she stumbled across, he worried about her, and Sophia and though of things she hand not even thought about. Of course it was too loud. It was loud on her ears. When it had finished she turned and cuddle him.

'Your too sweet, I was really nasty to you.' Carol told him.

'I heard what they said, I know why you did what you did. Please, come stay at mine tonight with Soph? I've got to go at 7am to work but will you come? I can come to you but by the time I leave here and run around getting uniforms and stuff it will be early hours of the morning.' He asked her.

'Yeah, ok, we will come. I'll ask Merle to stop by and get some stuff.' Carol told him.

'She don't need a bed, I got her one at my house ok,' Daryl told him.

'You got her a bed?'

'It was a long shot I figured if we were going to be going back and forward she need a bed. I got her diapers too, and cream and shit.' Daryl blushed, Carol could see it in his face even in the dark.

'Someone was very confident.' Carol said.

'Andrea told me, You still you know... that you didn't mean it, and what they said. Get some stuff and come, I'll be there when I finish here ok.' Daryl bent down and kissed her, he rubbed Sophia's head. 'Merle Carol's staying tonight, stop by hers on the way home?'

Merle answered with a nod and went back to what he was doing, which was making out with Andrea in the middle of the group.


	18. Chapter 18

Carol wandered around Daryl's bedroom noting he had made some changes, the biggest one was the baby bassinet against one wall and a pile of baby stuff on his dresser. Carol Changed and gave Sophia a top up and tucked her into her new bed. She was surprised how lovely it was made up she knew Andrea had something to do with it. She stood rocking the little bed for a few minutes knowing Sophia was tired and should sleep quickly.

Carol yawned and wandered out to the lounge. Merle and Andrea were talking in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate, Andrea held one out to her which Carol took happily. She also poured herself a glass of water. Sophia had been drinking all night and Carol felt drained dry.

'Sophia asleep?' Andrea asked. Merle offered a goodnight not wanting to get involved in girl chit chat.

'Yes, thankyou for fixing the bed.' Carol said.

'It wasn't all my idea, he wanted to make it easier for you to spend time here as it was for your place. I borrowed it off a friend who's baby too big now. We will get a cot when she's a bit bigger and sort out the spare bedroom.' Andrea stated.

'Hmmmmmmm really? For Sophia?' Carol asked.

'Carol don't worry, you like Daryl, Daryl likes you. Let yourself go, please give it a chance. You too hard on yourself. You should have seen my boyfriend before I met Merle.' Andrea told her.

'But your a doctor.' Carol said.

'Yeah but I still dated an arsehole. A cheater, I met Merle when I took my car into the garage and he fixed it and asked me out. I didn't think I was worth it at the time either.' Andrea told her.

'Your beautiful, what that makes no sense.' Carol told her.

'He my ex put me down all the time. Told me I was ugly, no use to anyone, told me I was stupid. I nearly dropped out of Med School because of him. I was still dating him when I met Merle. Merle pushed and pushed, pretty much like Daryl is with you and then it was happening between us, before I knew what was happening. When the Dixon boys fall they fall hard.' Andrea told her.

'I don't know Andrea, its all too fast,' Carol ventured.

'You are so annoying, go have a shower and go to bed. I'm too tired to try convince you to have sex with Daryl tonight!' Andrea waved her hand and giggled, Carol giggled then Andrea snorted. Carol laughed harder.

'I'm not having 'Sex'.' whispered Carol, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

'Its not a dirty word Carol,' Andrea looked at her, 'Everyone has sex, I mean you have.'

'Andrea, last time I had sex, I got pregnant, its been a while. I've shut up shop down there not to mention I had a baby come flying out of there,' Carol was serious.

'Carol, your over thinking this. Go have a shower and cuddle. You don't have to have sex or whatever, you can cuddle up for the night, take it slow,' Andrea told her. 'But please go shower you smell like baby puke and off milk or baby, I can't tell.'

'Fine I'll go shower and go to bed.'

'Great, don't stress, Daryl won't push you into anything you don't want too. He wants a relationship not just a booty call.' Andrea said smiling at her. 'If he wanted a booty call he would have had them or wouldn't asked me about why you kicked him out.'

'He asked?'

'Of course one minute your all friendly the next you told him you were using him. We have had a very upset man here for the past week and a bit until I split the beans last night. He got all this stuff for Sophia sorted today.' Andrea said.

'Really but you asked me to the carnival 4 days ago.'

'Well I was going to try set you both up but you did that all on your own, go shower, I'm going to bed. Tomorrow, we are going to go to the parade.' Andrea gave her a gentle shove towards the bathroom.

'I've got to get a change of clothes.' Carol said.

'No I put a new pair of pj's in there for you, my treat.' Andrea told her, Carol stared and shook her head. Andrea nodded and shoved her again pushing her towards the bathroom. 'Its nothing sexy, just cute pj boxer shorts and a matching singlet tee thingy, go shower and get into bed. Its late.'

Andrea gave her a hug and left. Carol went into the bathroom and sure enough hanging off a hook was a cute pair of boxer singlet top pj set. Carol sighed tired and she sniffed herself. She did smell like Sophia spit up. She turned the shower on and stripped and climbed into the shower. She only been in there a few minutes when the bathroom door opened and someone walked in and used the toilet. Carol stood frozen as Daryl spoke to her.

'Never thought I would get fucken home, are my girls asleep Merle?' A tired sounding Daryl spoke, she could hear washing hands.

'Ummmm Sophia's asleep,' Carol said from the shower.

'Fuck, I'm sorry Carol, I thought it was Merle, he always showers late at night.' Daryl mutter standing outside the bathroom door. 'Ya ok? Everything ok?'

'I'm fine, Sophia's fine,' Carol muttered, she got the surprise of her life when the shower door opened and Daryl climbed in beside her. She squealed and tried to cover herself.

'What are you doing?' She hissed at him turning her back.

'Having a shower, you can get out if you wana, smell like old hotdogs and candy floss,' Daryl said sleepy in her ear. He wrapped his arms' around her. 'I'm tired,' he reached over for his shower gel and started washing himself.

Carol gave him a quick glance over taking in his body, moving herself under the spray washing the soap off herself and moved to get out of the shower. She wasn't sure where this was going and he wasn't shy at all about getting naked and climbing in.

'Where ya going?'

'To get dried,' Carol quickly said.

'You upset, I got in here with you?'

Carol blushed bright red and shook her head, 'I'm just not ready, I want to cuddle but I'm not ready for sex.'

'I'm not ready for sex either I doubt I could even do it to be honest I'm that tired.' Daryl mumbled. She looked at his face, he looked tired, shattered in fact. She cuddled into him letting the water wash over them.

'Come on lets get out before we sleep in here.' Daryl moved her turning it off and climbed out handing her her towel pretending he wasn't glancing at her body.

'Don't look, I just had a baby, everything isn't back right yet.' Carol hissed at him.

'It all looks right to me,' Daryl stated handing her her pj's. He wrapped a towel around himself and escorted her to the bedroom. He stopped and watched Sophia sleeping for a few moments.

'She's bigger,' He stated. 'I missed her.' Carol felt terrible.

'Be back in a few, need to eat something,' Daryl walked out of the room and come back with a sandwich a few minutes later and offered her some which she shook her head, Carol drank from her water bottle and snuggled into his side. He finished his sandwich and before they knew it a they slept in each others arms until the early hours when Sophia let Carol know she needed her.


	19. Chapter 19

'You will need the pram, there is no way you can carry her and the stuff she needs all day,' Andrea told her as they pulled into the drive of Carol's flat.

They were parking there and walking to the parade. Daryl was long gone by the time Sophia and Carol rolled out of bed. She thought she could just put her in the front pack and walk with her all day but apparently there would be lots of walking and different things happening so the pram had a carrier underneath for all her stuff. The pram was like a carry cot type so Sophia would sleep well when she needed too. They would take the front pack also.

She quickly made the pram up with little sheets and grabbed the sun cover for it. Sophia was going to be out for a while, out and about in the sun if there wasn't trees or something to sit under.

Carol changed into a sun dress. Grabbed a top and jacket although the weather looked great. She found a little hat for Sophia and sun screen for them both. Andrea come into her room to watch while she put some makeup on.

'That dress is so hot, I love it with those sandles.' Andrea said. 'Are they easy to walk in?'

'Too much?' Carol asked, 'I had it from before I got with Ed, I never worn it much, it's not to you know?'

'Smoking hot?' Andrea giggled, 'It looks great, your boobs look great, are you Just going to pull them out and feed?'

'I might stick her in the front pack and feed her, I have to get my whole boob out to feed in this, might cause a crash or something.' Carol giggled turning and looking in the mirror. She hoped Daryl liked the dress. Ed never liked it and had tried to throw it away. Carol hid it in Sophia's drawers because she loved it so much, and it was expensive. She reached out and grabbed Andrea's hand.

'He won't be mad? If I wear this?' Carol asked.

Andrea looked at her and shook her head, realizing Carol wasn't as confident as she appeared on the outside. Ed had taken all that away and being in a sort of relationship with Daryl she was confused with everything.

'No he will love it, I promise,' She told Carol smiling at her, 'You need sun screen so does bubs.'

'I kinda feel like I'm going on a first date or something, last time I went on a first date I got pregnant, I don't know what happened, I ended up sleeping with him after a few drinks I didn't think I had that many, then Soph was on her way. I'm a bit lost on the dating thing,' Carol admitted.

'How many drinks did you have?' Andrea asked, things were getting confused and the more Carol had told her about things the weirder the relationship with Ed was.

'Wine with dinner, it was a nice dinner, but I certainly didn't mean to sleep with him, I never done that, then the next morning he told me I basically threw myself at him, I must have drunk more than I realized. He said I looked ready for it so he took what I was offering, I wasn't wearing this dress though.' Carol looked in the mirror putting on lipstick she looked up and caught Andrea's eye in the mirror. Her mouth went 'Oh!"

'I'm so stupid, stupid, stupid, Daryl's right I'm stupid.' Carol hissed into the mirror , tears started to well in her eyes as she put two and two together about how she come to sleep with Ed, she hadn't even liked him that way, not enough to sleep with him anyway.

'Ummm I don't think he called you stupid did he? Daryl wouldn't call anyone stupid.' Andrea reached up and guided her to sit on the side of the bath.

'No he didn't but he said Ed was saying and doing stuff telling them about his parents to get back in my good books. He probably date raped me or something slipped me something in my drink right, I can't remember having sex with him that first time then I just started sleeping with him because we already did it. Until he changed, and it was too late and Sophia was coming.' Carol looked like she wanted to vomit. 'I'm so so dumb!'

'He isolated me, and I let him, I'm so stupid Andrea, how could I have stayed when I knew Sophia was coming. Isolate both of us, he nearly killed her. Those girl were right, he deserves better, needs better than me,' Carol was struggling to catch her breath, all the words were tumbling out her mouth and she had snot coming out of her nose. Andrea passed her a tissue. Carol blew her nose and tried to calm herself down. It all made sense now. Being away from Ed had made it all click into place.

'Calm down, calm down, shhhhh its ok,' Andrea told her. 'Its fine, you made a mistake, Ed tricked you it wasn't all one sided Carol, calm down.'

Carol wasn't calming down, Merle come to the door with Sophia in his arms watch Carol totally melt down onto the floor of the bathroom, he looked at Andrea who was kinda stuck on what to do at this point and just shook her head. Merle left with Sophia. Andrea sat beside Carol rubbing her back. Carol slowly stopped crying long enough for Andrea to talk.

'Honey, you didn't do anything wrong. Look at how you protected Sophia, you tried to protect Daryl from the nasty comments by letting him go, your not stupid, sometimes we just make mistakes, Ed was a mistake. He took advantage of you,' Andrea told her. Carol was trying to calm herself down, she could hear Sophia starting to cry in the lounge, she suddenly stopped crying Carol wiped her eyes and there was a tap at the bathroom door.

Carol looked up and saw Daryl standing there in total dress uniform right down to the white gloves holding onto Sophia.

'Pass me a towel in case she pukes up on me ok,' He instructed Andrea. He moved to get the towel putting it between him and the baby, he was the reason Sophia stopped crying, he stopped her crying any time he picked her up. He was like the Sophia whisper, any time he picked her up she was quiet in his arms. Like she was now snuggling into him well into the towel he had between him and her.

He was looking great, fantastic in fact. She knew he was looking great in his dress uniform. Too good in fact, even better with the baby over his shoulder rocking her to keep her calm. He looked at his watch then at the women.

'Whats going on?' He asked looking from Andrea and Carol, 'Tell me quick because I am not meant to be here.'

'Nothing, nothings wrong.' Carol told him.

'Then why the fuck are you on the floor crying?' Daryl growled looking hard at Andrea until she caved.

'Carol's upset because Ed may or may not have slipped her something the first night she went on a date with him. It started with the sundress, and snowballed from there.' Andrea blurted out Daryl looked from her to Carol shaking his head.

'It started with the sun dress,' Daryl asked. 'That sun dress?' Daryl pointed at at her dress.

'Yes,' Andrea said, Carol blew her nose again. Coughed and cleared her throat glanced at Daryl.

'Why are you here?'

'Ummmmm I rung Merle to see where you were and he said you were crying in the bathroom, so I came to see if your alright,' Daryl stated. He was rocking on the balls of his feet with Sophia, Andrea moved out of the room. Daryl stayed looking at him. 'You want to tell me quick? or we wana play 20 questions?'

'I was just telling Andrea about this dress and put two and two together he might have slipped me something to get me into bed quickly, and the rest you know.' Carol muttered. Daryl stood there and nodded his head not saying anything.

'I'm being stupid,' Carol muttered, Daryl stepped forward with Sophia holding his gloved hand out to pull her up, she took it and he pulled her to him in a hug.

'Don't get snot on me,' He muttered hugging her to him, 'Nothing surprises me about Ed, nothing, don't be so worried about things. Sweetheart I really have to go, my captain's going to bust my balls if he knows I'm gone, Baby lets not worry about what happened with Ed. Can we talk about Ed tonight, please? Just come today, I'll talk all night I promise.'

'Yeah I'll come, you walking around looking like that in public, I'm going to watch.' Carol told him stepping back looking at him. He smirked.

'You like the uniform then?' He asked her.

'Really nice, I really really like it.'

"You really really really do,' He teased. 'Seriously babe I have to go, Abe will bust them hard and I will never walk again.'

'Yeah, give me Sophia and we will follow you down,' Carol told him. He handed Sophia back and gave her a kiss.

'I mean it, Ed's something we need to talk about but not right now.' Daryl told her kissing her again, 'My uniform ok?'

'You look good, clean,' Carol told him, wondering how he could be so nice with her crying about what had happened. He left moving out of the flat and they watched as he jumped in a squad car heading back towards the main street again. They moved quickly to get moving to the parade again. Carol re did her make up again. Then they walked to the main street again.


	20. Chapter 20

Merle took the pram and started pushing it down the street, hoping the women would follow the baby, he could hear the start of the parade, there was music playing one street over. He was like the pide piper with both women moving fast to keep up with him that by the time they got to the main street they were out of breath. He moved the pram through the foot path clearing a way until he come up beside Maggie and Glenn who were standing by a lamp post, Lori was there and smiled hello, Shanes, girlfriend Sasha gave a little wave and went back talking to a blonde girl on her other side.

'My sister, Beth, meet Carol, Ma wants you to baby sit her little girl sometime so they can go out one night,' Maggie called across to the blonde girl. She looked up and come across looking into the pram asking with her eyes if she could pick the baby up, Carol nodded and Beth picked her up and cuddled her.

'She's like a little doll, I heard at school Daryl had a kid, she's pretty cute,' Beth told Carol.

Carol stared at her, 'You heard at high school Daryl had a baby?'

'Yeah big gossip around here, he's a hottie, my girlfriends hope its him that will pull them over for ticket and stuff, they were heart broken,' Beth told her, 'I'll look after her, ask Ma, she's darling, oh there's Zac.'

Beth handed the baby back and hugged Maggie, she then headed towards a group of boys that were waving from across the road, she ducked across, Carol and Andrea watched her kiss a boy and wander off holding hands.

'Now if I did that at 17, Dad would have chased him down the road with a shot gun,' Maggie stated.

'Come on Maggie, we all know you were saving yourself for me!' Glenn stated.

All the women giggled, Lori held her hands out to hold Sophia, Andrea had Carl and they started to watch the parade, Carol looked around for Daryl, feeling embarrassed with Beth stating the whole town thought Sophia was his.

She couldn't see him anywhere, she fell into comfortable conversation with Maggie, Lori and Andrea. She could tell already Glenn was a gossip and had information and tit-bits to tell everyone about everyone they saw. Carol watched him wondering what he had heard about her. How he knew so much she didn't know. She knew he owned the pizza shop in town, lots of local hung out there as it wasn't really a bar but had pool tables and games for everyone.

Glenn caught Carol watching him as he was gossiping, 'Don't worry I don't gossip about Daryl, he would put me on my butt.' He winked at her and went back to talking about the person riding on the float passing them. Glenn certainly had his finger on the pie.

When it was over they walked with the crowd slowly towards the park where music, food and the carnival was still going. Carol pulled on her baby carrier to feed Sophia while they made their way down to the park. The others stopped and waited for her to get sorted. Andrea fussed and got the back fixed so it was all clicked up.

Maggie dug around in the pram and pulled out a little sun hat and a light muslin wrap to tuck around the baby carrier so her wee legs wouldn't' get sun burnt. When they were finally sorted the crowd was thinning and Carol spotted Daryl directing people beside Shane into the park. She smiled taking in how handsome he looked in dress uniform. She watched as other women stopped to talk to him also. Carol watched as they walked near, he seemed to be deflecting women who were too close and personal.

'Hey,' Shane called out, as if they couldn't notice them standing there, they all wandered over to where they were. Daryl gave her a wink.

'Enjoy that?' He asked her as she moved near his side. He was extremely good looking dress up, women were looking twice at him taking in his good looks and the uniform was a real turn on for women.

'I got a running commentary from Glenn so now I know everything, so if you need to know anything ask me,' She giggled.

'Hit me with something,' Daryl asked her.

'Apparently your the talk of the high school,'

'Hit me with something I don't know, I'm freaken hot, you got a drink in there?' Daryl looked towards the pram, Carol nodded and pointed towards the water bottle which he grabbed and drank from. 'What are they talking about now?'

'Your Sophia's father and stuff, Maggies sister told me.' Carol watched his face to see how he would react to that.

'Maggies sisters a bigger gossip than Glenn.' Daryl muttered. 'Tell me gossip I don't know, any new gossip?'

Daryl looked at Glenn and he shook his head and held his palm's up, 'Only you brother, and I'm not going there.'

'So how is my baby girl,' He pulled out the baby wrap and got a eyeful, Sophia was half asleep and half drinking and gave a lopsided burp. Carol raised her eyebrows, wondering if they were going to get another one.

'So your not wearing a bra with that dress then?' Daryl asked.

Carol shook her head.

'You got panties on right?' Daryl asked her bending over and saying it in her ear. She looked up at him with surprise, as if she would go out and about without underwear on. In a sundress in the middle of a parade. she then realised he was joking and teasing her. She tapped him on the arm the others started wandering off.

'I'll see you in the park, I'm off at two, I'll change then come back.' He told her.

'You mean your not going to be wearing that tonight watching a movie?' Carol asked him.

'I can put it back on if you want me too?'

Carol shook her head and followed the others into the park. Daryl and Shane watched everyone going into the park they looked at the time, they only had to stand looking pretty at the gates for another half an hour then they were off duty for two day. Daryl was excited. He wanted to spend some quality time with Carol and get this relationship worked out.


	21. Chapter 21

Nothing-is-better-than-the-walking-dead ~on Facebook~

forgot to mention this ... this is my walking dead page if anyone is interested if liking it. Its very pro caryl/Carol

Chapter Text

'Follow me,' Lori told them looking at her phone beginning to lead them into the huge crowds of the park, it was easier to follow Merle who was pushing an empty pram they headed towards some trees a wee way away from the sound stage that had tables and chairs set up with a rope to keep them separated from the rest of the crowd.

It was a section being kept fenced off by Rick who looked really good in his dress uniform, he was keeping people away from what looked like the best seats in the house. He waved and kissed Lori as they all moved past the ropes.

'Ok, saved it all, I've got to walk the park will stop by soon, Abe left a cooler of drinks and food over there for us and the families of the police officers ok.;' Rick smiled and left, everyone pulled out seats, Carol looked around unsure if she was meant to be there. Lori reached out her hand for hers and tugged her into a seat.

'Don't be silly, your with Daryl,' Lori told her looking at her face.

'How did you know what I'm thinking?' Carol asked her.

'The panic is written all over your face, and even if you weren't your here, with me, relax and we can talk about babies and things. The others don't like all the baby talk,' Lori jestered around the mixed group. Carol looked everyone was a mix match and she wasn't sure how many of them were fitted into the police, she assumed many of the large group drifting in was just friends rather than family.

'Seriously no one wants to listen to Maggie talking about shoes or stuff, yet when I talk about Carl trying to roll over everyone tells me to stop talking.' Lori told her.

'Not bad really? Surely?' Carol asked.

'Oh I'm kinda kidding but when you don't have a baby you don't know how all the little things are exciting,' Lori told her and Carol nodded smiling, it was all rewarding, even more so having someone to talk about those small steps with.

'I never really had a friend since I had Sophia, I didn't go to any of the parenting classes or anything, ummm you know he wouldn't let me, so I guess I'm flying by the seat of my pants,' Carol told Lori.

'You seem to be doing fine, Sophia's happy, Andrea checked her out right?' Lori asked. She looked into the pram Carl was still sound asleep.

Carol nodded, Andrea was checking her out almost every other day keeping an eye on things as well as Carol's emotional state. Pretending she wasn't, Carol knew she was and she was thankful for that. She knew more about babies than Carol did. Carol had the what goes in must come out concept on things. So far Sophia was starting to smile and look around and let her know what she wanted. Most of the time it was access to her boobs.

Merle passed her a can to drink out of and nodded for her to drink. Carol had taken off her wrap and fixed her dress and Sophia was in her arms over her shoulders.

'I can take her for a bit if you want?' Merle asked taking the baby before she could say yes or no. Carol thought he might be a little smitten with Sophia and wanted to cuddle her. He come across rough and ready, Carol knew different because anytime he had Sophia he was as gentle as anything holding her.

He wandered off to the edge of the group holding her over his shoulders talking with Glenn watching the live band. They were a good distance away that it wasn't going to be damaging to their ears. He was moving with her over his shoulder talking to new people that were joining the group all the time rocking to the music talking with Glenn watching the stage.

Carol sat back and relaxed for the first time in ages watching the stage chatting quietly about babies with Lori. Andrea come across and sat with Carol looking at Merle and Sophia.

'I wish you said no, he's going to want one soon,' Andrea told Carol.

'Want a baby?'

'Yeah he's been wanting to start a family for a while, I just don't now how it would work with me working and stuff, I don't know,' Andrea muttered looking around waving at a few people.

'You would take some time off? Work part time?' Lori suggested.

'Its alright for you, you can afford to stay at home, I don't know if I can or what we should do, its not like we even have parents to take a baby even if I worked part time and there not really any day care in town.' Andrea told them.

'Surely you could work something out? I mean Jo Greene offered to look after Sophia if I had to go to work, or you could have some friends to look after a baby of something? Work it out so you could take care of another baby, if you had set hours sorted. Merle own's his own place right, if you worked like three mornings a week he could look after a baby? There always a way right?' Carol looked around them.

'I mean, I'm going to have to find a job, and go to work, I'm going to have to see if she will look after her,' Carol said again looking between the women, both were looking at her. 'What?'

'Honey, chances of you Having to work isn't likely, unless you want to work,' Lori stated.

'I will, I mean, not right now but soon I won't have a choice, I have some money but it won't last for long.' Carol told them they looked at her and smirked a little. 'WHAT?'

'Carol, you think Daryl's going to let you put her in day care or something so you go work busing tables or working nights or something?' Lori asked.

'Its not really up to him how I support her, I need to pay my way,' Carol told them, 'Food and stuff. I need to buy food, and pay for power and clothes for Sophia.'

'Ok then, I thought you were dating Daryl?' Lori asked.

'I kinda am, its new, I've only known him a few weeks, I only just got away from Sophia's dad, even though we really were not together,' Carol told her, Lori looked interested, 'Its too confusing, yes I guess we are dating, kinda. Nothing serious, like we are not having sex or anything.'

Andrea snorted looking at Carol, and Lori flat out laughed.

'Yes not sex but she's been eye fucked well and truly!' Andrea giggled. 'Boom pregnant! She's had the Dixon undress a girl stare.'

'Not the Dixon stare, I nearly got pregnant from that at high school,' Lori giggled looking at Carol. 'Girl grab him with two hands before someone else does.'

'Its not like that, its nothing yet, we really haven't even talked about it.' Carol said, 'Last night week made up from a fight and sleep beside each other, we haven't really even kissed.'

'You slept beside him and nothing happened? Nothing? Like Nothing?' Lori asked, 'I wish I could sleep beside Rick and he would want Nothing to happen.'

'Shhhhhh they are coming,' Andrea said as Shane and Daryl with Rick following behind all in jean's and tee shirts come through the crowds towards the group. Daryl gave Carol a nod as he stopped to talk to Merle who still had Sophia. He was talking with Shane about something pointing around the park, he reached out to Merle and took Sophia kissing her and holding her to his chest and kept talking to the group of men about something. Sophia was sound asleep and just went with it.

Carol was pretending not to watch but from behind her sunglasses he was showing her off to his friends as they gathered in to look at the little baby, Rick was shaking a little foot to see if she was really asleep. All the men went quiet as she stretched and moved snuggling closer to Daryl they all laughed as she was screwed up like a frog. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she wasn't stupid not to know they were not talking about her.

'Ya fucked Dixon,' Rick told him.

'What?' Daryl asked

'You fell in love with that little girl, what you going to do if things don't work out?' Rick asked him quietly, Daryl just shook his head.

'Its gona work out,' Daryl told him.

'If it doesn't?' Rick probed,

'I'm not going to let that happen, I want them, you know it will sound dumb, like I was sposed to find them ya know?' Daryl told him.

'Well technology they found you.' Rick said.

'I know, but its like karma, or something, they are meant to be with me. Its dumb I know, but I could have had anyone and I don't want nobody else,' Daryl stated. Merle slapped his hand on Daryl's shoulder looking at Sophia.

'Take it slow brother, take it slow let her come to you, let her drive this thing, my only advice for you, like a frighten filly that one. Like Andrea was, remember?' Merle said, Daryl nodded watching Sophia sleeping in his arm's he accepted a can of drink, it was a dry park event so it was coke and lemonade all around. Daryl drank his back in one go, he was dry, he had Sophia in the crook of his arm, he moved around with her to get another drinks he gave Carol a smile and moved back to where Merle was.

'So what should I do?' Daryl asked Merle. 'I never done this shit before, like you know, dating shit.'

'Well wait for her to make a move,' Rick offered coming over to the conversation, 'That's how I got with Lori, by taking it easy and making her come to me, it was her that asked me too the prom.'

'Like hold her hand and that shit, but don't feel her up,' Merle muttered, 'PG stuff, like let her know your interested but let her lead the way.'

'Don't kiss her,' Shane stuck his head into the conversation, 'Like kiss her cheek and that stuff, but like unless she kisses you don't kiss her.'

'I don't know if that's going to work,' Daryl said, 'Shane what do you know about taking things slow anyway? You try get into their panties the first night.'

'Trust me, don't rush it, its already going fast. Be her friend and boyfriend, but take it slow,' Merle stated again.

'Ok, I was going to try my hand tonight I will try it your way ok.' Daryl agreed to take it slow and try keep it PG so he didn't spook Carol.

Carol was watching the men, 'What do you think they are talking about?' Carol asked.

'Us, you sex probably,' Andrea took a glance at them. 'Merles got that look of deep thought, they probably giving Daryl some move to get into your panties tonight.'

'Rick always trying to be honest I'm so tired by the time I get to bed that its not on the cards often at the moment anyway,' Lori told them. 'He doesn't get it, that getting up and feeding and having someone attached to your boob all day then he wants to touch them at night, ugh.'

'I haven't had sex like since I got pregnant with Sophia, a few weeks after maybe, its been a while,' Carol said.

'Maybe just sit back and let Daryl lead, he's a man and he can take the lead with the physical part of a relationship,' Andrea suggested.

'I really don't know, I'm a bit unsure about that, I know I never made the first move, I've only been with like 4 men, like ever, I mean like from like 14 I kissed a boy, that's including him, I really don't know anything.' Carol told them she was surprised she was blurting out information not many knew. 'Like I kissed him on a school camp on a dare and then a college boy, and one in my early twenties I had sex with a few times, then Sophia's Dad.'

'I've only slept with Shane and Rick,' Lori offered, 'Rick's only been with me.'

'I've had a few, not going to go into details, but I've slept with my share, my advice is sit back and let Daryl drive this thing, if you want to be with him, like step this into a relationship.' Andrea said.

'I want to be with him, its not a flip flop thing, I want to be with him.' Carol told them. 'Ok, I'll let Daryl drive, I'll follow his lead.'

'Yeah, just sit back and I mean, guys know how to do this stuff,' Lori said. Looking over at the men noticing that Daryl was heading over with a crying Sophia in his arm's.

'I think she's ummmm got a present for you,' Daryl told Carol.

'Lucky me,' Carol took Sophia and lay her into her pram to change her, Daryl hovered around asking if she was having a nice time, and did she want to go for a walk around to get something to eat from one of the market stalls, Carol nodded, he picked up Sophia is his arm's Carol put her wee hat on and fixed her dress and used a muslin cloth over her legs to keep the sun off, Daryl reached out with his hand and took Carol's in his as they left the group to walk around hand in hand looking for something good to eat, he was going to do this PG stuff until it killed her.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Text

By the end of the afternoon Carol was beginning to wonder if she had done something wrong, Daryl was attentive to a point, held her hand walking around, brought her some lunch and together they looked at stalls until Sophia decided she was ready for some more milk, they headed back to the group where Carol fed her again, gone had gone the man from last night that had kissed and touched her at every opportunity, Carol was embarrassed about it. It wasn't like he was actively avoiding her but something wasn't right.

He was watching her, but held her hand once and got her a drink a few times, Carol started to feel awkward. He didn't seem to be able to have a conversation because anything he was about to say he changed his mind and started on another topic. Carol felt terrible it left her feeling heavy with emotions that she couldn't explain. Sure he held her hand and introduced her to every one, sat beside her for a while then got up to talk with the men, glancing looking at her ever now and again.

She was supposed to be there with him and it was almost as if he was avoiding touching her or anything, she was unsure of what was going on. The other men in the group were glancing her way sometimes and Carol realised that she wasn't really welcome there, something was off, the men had said something to him and from that moment he barely could keep his conversations straight without jumping from one topic to another barely giving her a chance to answer.

Carol just wanted to get out of there, she gathered Sophia up with her gear before she burst into tears in front of everyone. She tucked Sophia into the pram wondering how to get out of the park without it turning really embarrassing.

'You going to take her for a wee walk?' Andrea asked her, Carol nodded, pushing her sunglasses on and sun hat. She dropped a muslin cloth over the pram to keep Sophia out of the sun.

'I'll come,' Andrea hopped up and followed her out of the ropes, Daryl looked at them.

'Just going for a walk so she will sleep,' Carol said to him, she felt like she was struggling to breathe, not looking at him or anyone, keeping her eyes on the pram.

'You want me to come?' He asked, Carol shook her head not really able to speak. Daryl watched her walk off with Andrea and knew he was mucking it up. He was trying his on hardest to not say anything that put pressure on her. It was just making things awkward because he kept changing the conversation to general stuff then flicking from one conversation to another. Carol looked confused, and a little sad when he got up and moved away. The truth was he wanted to talk about stuff they could do together, he wanted to pull her onto his lap like Rick had done to Lori.

It was hard to try and keep PG, he was mucking it up, he didn't know how to do it. He never really dated even in high school so he was just leading with emotions and now he was trying to hide them from her. Then Merle kept looking at him making sure he wasn't making any moves when all he wanted to do was hold her in his arm's. He kinda hoped they could get someone to watch Sophia while he could have a dance later that night after they had dinner at the park and the live bands played into the night. Then she would hopefully give him a clue on what he should be doing.

Carol walked along beside Andrea for a few minutes wondering what went wrong thinking it might be about the incident in the bathroom this morning, Carol swallowed hard thinking about it. She had a lump in her throat thinking about it. She didn't really know what else to do, she just wanted to go back to her little flat and lick her wounds and eat something like chocolate and biscuits.

'Ummmm I've got a bit of a head ache, I might go home,' Carol told Andrea as they neared the exit.

'What, why?' Andrea asked, 'You want to go home or your going home?

'I want to go home,' Carol's voice cracked, and she coughed to clear it.

'Why do you want to got home for? We supposed to be here for dinner, do you really have a headache?' Andrea asked.

Carol shook her head, 'I just want to go,'

'Do you really have a headache?' Andrea asked. Carol nodded knowing that Andrea probably knew she was lying about that. Truth be told she could hardly swallow she just wanted to leave before she was embarrased any more in front of everyone. Every single one of Daryl's friends kept looking at her, she wanted to go. It was emotionally draining and trying to smile and be nice was something she didn't want to do. It felt so awkward that she couldn't even enjoy the music, it was hard to swallow the lump in her throat was huge.

'I'm just going to go, I'll walk, Ummm I'm going to have a sleep I might feel better later and come back ok,' Carol told her, Andrea gave her a quick hug.

'Did something happen? Your upset?'

'Nothing, its ok, I really want to leave now,' Carol told her and she turned pushing Sophia towards the exit with silent tears welling in her eyes. She didn't understand what had actually happened or why Daryl was being so weird around her, but she wanted out before she really looked like a fool. The short walk to her wee flat went quickly as quiet tears rolled down her face. She unlocked the door and pushed the pram into the lounge and locked the door behind her. Took the muslin cloth off the pram. Sophia was asleep. She turned the air con on and lay down on the couch to try and push away the headache she now had away.

She got up and got a drink and picked up her book to take her mind off things and lay down on the couch to read and take her mind off things and rest before Sophia woke and demanded her attention.

Daryl looked slightly panic'd when Andrea come back without Carol to the police area looking at her then behind into the crowd and then back to Andrea before walking over and touching her arm.

'Where's Carol' He asked her, Andrea looked at him then at Merle who come close.

'She's gone,' Andrea told him, 'She's gone home in tears for what ever reason or whatever you done this afternoon, whats going on, last night you were all over her now today you hardly holding a conversation, no wonder she's upset.'

'What, gone? Like gone home?' Daryl asked.

'Yes Daryl, gone home upset trying not to let me see her cry, why you make her cry for, what did you do?' Andrea looked at him then at Merle, Merle avoided her gaze. 'You better tell me what dumb arse advice you gave him so I can fix it.'

'They told me to play it cool, not pressure her and do PG shit and I don't know how to do PG stuff, I don't know what the fuck I'm doing,' Daryl stated.

'Can I suggest you go back to doing whatever you were doing last night when she had that huge smile on her face,' Andrea said.

'Should I go after her?'

'Really Daryl,' Andrea said, 'You think?'

'What should I say?'

'Tell her your brother's a dumb arse and told you to back off a little, poor girl probably felt awkward, I would, you hardly been near her all day,' Andrea said.

'Cos I didn't know what to say or do what Rick, Shane and Merle told me to do,' Daryl told her.

'Well that's a winning combination right there, dumb, dumber and dumbest! Daryl when has listening to any of them on relationship advice ever worked out for you?' Andrea asked him. Daryl shook his head and headed out the ropes to walk around to try make things right with Carol. He felt a bit stupid listening to them when it was upsetting him not doing it right, he should have known it would upset her.


	23. Chapter 23

Carol was ready, teeth brushed, makeup on and hair done. Dressed warmly, Sophia was in the car seat with a warm all in one on that was like a little pink rabbit onesie that you could pull the hood up on, it had her feet covered. It was already starting to get dark and cooler outside, she had her baby bag packed for the night. Carol had packed a bag for herself for the night. She wasn't sure if that was what was happening or not but they were moving forward and they would probably go with Daryl to his house than the little flat. There had been whispers of a few drinks later in the evening at the Dixon place.

Daryl arrived back quickly pulling his truck into the garage jumping out and gathering up baby supplies and the pram putting it in the back. He clicked Sophia's seat into the back seat and come around to talk to Carol.

'You got the Carrier thingy?' Daryl jestered to her front. Carol shook her head.

'Might be warmer for her to be there? And we can keep her with us if we go dance and stuff, everyone will go dancing we don't want to leave her sleeping by the tables.' Daryl told her. Carol nodded going into the baby room and getting it, grabbing another warmer hat and blanket.

'You going to talk to me tonight or what?' Daryl asked as he took the baby carrier from her. Carol nodded and blushed a little. Daryl looked at her again. Fuck it! Daryl thought as he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for the kiss he wanted all day. Carol was hesitant at first but she soon granted him access to her mouth as his tongue met hers.

He quickly had her backed up against the truck with his knee wedged between her legs running a hand up her back and under her shirt seeking out her bare skin, another trailed down her back to her butt and he grinded himself against her. She groaned into his mouth and he was hard up against her and on of her hands went to the top of his jean inching up under his shirt feeling his warm skin on his fingertips. She pressed her hand flat against his stomach and one behind him up the back of his shirt, he shivered towards her touch.

Daryl pulled back a little to take a breath, Carol looked in his eyes and there was no mistake of what he wanted and what was on his mind, she could feel it pressed hard up against her.

'Fuck,' he shook his head and pulled away, the kiss had only lasted a minute but it had change the playing field of how their relationship was defined and where it was going. It was going to be fireworks in the bedroom they both knew it.

'Sophia,' Carol whispered, Daryl looked over her shoulder into the truck she was fine chewing on her fingers contented.

'She's fine, ummm we better go,' Daryl opened the door of the truck to help her in, 'I need to stop at the service station.' Daryl told her.

'What for?' Carol asked him.

'Ummmm well just in case, we , I don't have anything, so we don't make any...' Daryl indicated towards Sophia.

'Bathroom,' Carol told him.

'I forgot, can I get some?' Daryl asked her. Carol gave a slight nod.

To be honest Carol didn't know the correct protocol to sleeping with someone, She was jumping from one man to the next. Not that she was with Ed but the town folks didn't know any better.

'Don't, Don't worry about them, we do want we want not what people want us to do, if we want to we are grown ups,' Daryl told her, 'If we don't want to we don't.'

Daryl moved away walking through the garage door to the bathroom, he knew there were condoms there because he had snooped but he didn't want Carol to know he knew because she might think he asked Andrea to get them. Andrea just liked to plan ahead. He looked through the selection she had brought and he took half, and he left half, he didn't want to be cut short at any place should there relationship go to the next level. He didn't know for sure Carol wanted to take that leap or not yet.

He shoved them into her bag in the back of the truck and drove down towards the park, when they arrived, he talked Carol into wearing Sophia and he would carry her bag because people were already out dancing that pushing the pram through the crowds could frustrating. He watched as Carol Strapped the baby to her pulling up her hood, tucking the blanket around her and pulling her coat on over top of it all, Daryl reached out for her hand and he lead the way back to their group. Rick and Lori were the only two there, Lori was on Rick's lap and they were making out. There baby sound asleep in his pram near by.

Carol had to look twice in the dark because she was almost sure by the way they had the blanket wrapped around them that she was actually doing more that just sitting on his lap facing him, she was certain they were having sex. Carol nudged Daryl and indicated towards them he looked at them and shook his head then said 'Probably, they do shit like that.'


	24. Chapter 24

Carol was ready, teeth brushed, makeup on and hair done. Dressed warmly, Sophia was in the car seat with a warm all in one on that was like a little pink rabbit onesie that you could pull the hood up on, it had her feet covered. It was already starting to get dark and cooler outside, she had her baby bag packed for the night. Carol had packed a bag for herself for the night. She wasn't sure if that was what was happening or not but they were moving forward and they would probably go with Daryl to his house than the little flat. There had been whispers of a few drinks later in the evening at the Dixon place.

Daryl arrived back quickly pulling his truck into the garage jumping out and gathering up baby supplies and the pram putting it in the back. He clicked Sophia's seat into the back seat and come around to talk to Carol.

'You got the Carrier thingy?' Daryl jestered to her front. Carol shook her head.

'Might be warmer for her to be there? And we can keep her with us if we go dance and stuff, everyone will go dancing we don't want to leave her sleeping by the tables.' Daryl told her. Carol nodded going into the baby room and getting it, grabbing another warmer hat and blanket.

'You going to talk to me tonight or what?' Daryl asked as he took the baby carrier from her. Carol nodded and blushed a little. Daryl looked at her again. Fuck it! Daryl thought as he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for the kiss he wanted all day. Carol was hesitant at first but she soon granted him access to her mouth as his tongue met hers.

He quickly had her backed up against the truck with his knee wedged between her legs running a hand up her back and under her shirt seeking out her bare skin, another trailed down her back to her butt and he grinded himself against her. She groaned into his mouth and he was hard up against her and on of her hands went to the top of his jean inching up under his shirt feeling his warm skin on his fingertips. She pressed her hand flat against his stomach and one behind him up the back of his shirt, he shivered towards her touch.

Daryl pulled back a little to take a breath, Carol looked in his eyes and there was no mistake of what he wanted and what was on his mind, she could feel it pressed hard up against her.

'Fuck,' he shook his head and pulled away, the kiss had only lasted a minute but it had change the playing field of how their relationship was defined and where it was going. It was going to be fireworks in the bedroom they both knew it.

'Sophia,' Carol whispered, Daryl looked over her shoulder into the truck she was fine chewing on her fingers contented.

'She's fine, ummm we better go,' Daryl opened the door of the truck to help her in, 'I need to stop at the service station.' Daryl told her.

'What for?' Carol asked him.

'Ummmm well just in case, we , I don't have anything, so we don't make any...' Daryl indicated towards Sophia.

'Bathroom,' Carol told him.

'I forgot, can I get some?' Daryl asked her. Carol gave a slight nod.

To be honest Carol didn't know the correct protocol to sleeping with someone, She was jumping from one man to the next. Not that she was with Ed but the town folks didn't know any better.

'Don't, Don't worry about them, we do want we want not what people want us to do, if we want to we are grown ups,' Daryl told her, 'If we don't want to we don't.'

Daryl moved away walking through the garage door to the bathroom, he knew there were condoms there because he had snooped but he didn't want Carol to know he knew because she might think he asked Andrea to get them. Andrea just liked to plan ahead. He looked through the selection she had brought and he took half, and he left half, he didn't want to be cut short at any place should there relationship go to the next level. He didn't know for sure Carol wanted to take that leap or not yet.

He shoved them into her bag in the back of the truck and drove down towards the park, when they arrived, he talked Carol into wearing Sophia and he would carry her bag because people were already out dancing that pushing the pram through the crowds could frustrating. He watched as Carol Strapped the baby to her pulling up her hood, tucking the blanket around her and pulling her coat on over top of it all, Daryl reached out for her hand and he lead the way back to their group. Rick and Lori were the only two there, Lori was on Rick's lap and they were making out. There baby sound asleep in his pram near by.

Carol had to look twice in the dark because she was almost sure by the way they had the blanket wrapped around them that she was actually doing more that just sitting on his lap facing him, she was certain they were having sex. Carol nudged Daryl and indicated towards them he looked at them and shook his head then said 'Probably, they do shit like that.'


	25. Chapter 25

so much support for this fic, it helps the muse if you comment I love it.

Chapter Text

Daryl helped load a sleeping Sophia into his truck to go back to his house where everyone was heading for a party of sorts, a yearly event apparently according to Merle, after the park they would light a brazziers around the place, people would drink, talk and dance. Daryl wrapped his arms around Carol before opening the truck door.

'You happy?' He asked her, she nodded and put her arms around him tipping up a little for his kiss. He gave her a squeeze.

'Very,' She told him, he opened the door or her and they left the park.

Before they arrived at Daryl's place he pulled over on the side of the road in a lay away place and killed the engine. He turned in his seat looking at her, he looked over at Sophia and cleared his throat.

'I wanted to talk to you about what you said about Ed this morning, before we got to my place, I promised we could talk about it tonight.' Daryl told her.

Carol just looked at him and nodded, she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. They had had a great night, dancing together in the crowds with some touching and kissing, hand holding all while they had Sophia with them. Small pecks on the mouth, and appropriate touching, arm grazing, thumb on her wrist stroking, arm's around her and Sophia hugging. Everything that made Carol want to jump his bones had it not been for the small child between them.

Daryl had led them to where his friends would be, creatures of habit according to Daryl they danced in the same area every year. Daryl kept them close with a arm around them the whole time. Andrea and Merle took Sophia with them back to the seats to give Daryl and Carol a break, Carol redundantly let Sophia go. She knew she would be fine with them but at the same time she worried constantly.

Daryl took the opportunity of the baby being gone to pull her hard up against her body and in the dark in the crowds there had been some very unappropriated touching going on. It started when Daryl slipped his hand up under her jacket to pull her close and his thumb tucked under her jean's and panties at the dip of her butt cheek, Carol responded by slipping her hand into his back pocket.

They played a game of exploring each other on the pretense of swaying with the music, Daryl had a hand up her shirt cupping her bra with one hand on her butt and his mouth on her neck, Carol was biting his shoulder and running her hand across the front of his jeans and the hand that once was in his pocket was up the back of his shirt, dancing but in reality groping at each other in the dark in the crowd where no one was really paying them attention until Daryl felt a nudge from behind he finally lifted his head.

'Got a sos from Sophia, so stop being a dirty bastard and get you hands of her Mama,' Merle teased them.

Carol blushed in the dark pleased that they couldn't really see her face, Daryl took her hand and tried to use the walk back to walk off a throbbing erection that was straining in his pants. He didn't know if they were going to get to a sex stage tonight but they were defiantly stepping over the just friends barrier and if things went tits up he didn't think they could go back to being just friends, hell they were never just friends from the moment he met them.

So now they were sitting on the side of the road with Car's passing them Daryl assumed that they were heading to his house but before they got in the crowd he wanted to clear the air about Ed.

'So I've been thinking, I talked to Rick about it, if you wanted to you could try and press charges but here's the thing, its been so long and it would be a his word against yours, without evidence,' Daryl told her, he glanced at Sophia. 'If it happened the night you got pregnant with Sophia, I'm really sorry that happened.'

Carol looked at him knowing he was right, they couldn't prove it either way it had been so long so much time had passed. She nodded.

'I don't want to, I don't want her to think she was conceived like that, that way,' Carol told him. He nodded.

'I can organize counselling or something? Someone to talk about it with? We have a lovely lady who works with people through work.' Daryl told her.

'I think in my heart I always knew, I just couldn't see why I would sleep with him like that, I don't know, I need to think about it, I don't want it to affect me like this.' Carol told him.

'I wana say something and I'm probably going to fuck it up but go with it...' Daryl told her, Carol nodded.

'I want you, I want Soph, I don't care how she was conceived, I have all theses feelings when I look at her like I would fight lions to protect her, and punch teen-aged boys when she's a teenager, put bars on her windows kinda feelings to keep her safe, but that's just a drop in the ocean to how I'm feeling about you...' Daryl glanced at her, Carol was starring at him with wide eyes.

'Say something, don't leave me hanging here,' Daryl reached out and stroked his thumb along her wrists. Carol coughed what sounded like a little choking cry, and nodded, with tears welling in her eyes. 'Fuck I don't want you to cry.' Daryl leaned in to kiss her. 'Don't cry, I don't want you to cry,'

'I can't help it,' Carol sniffed kissing him back.

'Fuck it, I want you both, I want you to be mine, and Soph, I know its early days, and Merle said I should back off but I want you to know,' Daryl pulled away, started up his truck and started it up. 'Buckle up we need to get home before someone starts fucking in my bed or something,' Daryl muttered, 'Don't giggle its happened before.'

Carol looked at him shaking her head.

'I'm not lying, Shane was in there with some chick last year in my bed, I had to burn the sheets, I swear,' He kept his eyes on the road, indicated up the drive towards his house driving slowly past parked cars until he hit his parking spot near the front door.


	26. Chapter 26

Carol looked around outside Daryl's place there were people standing around fires talking and having a drink. Daryl pulled the baby seat out of the back of his truck and Carol followed her inside the house as he said hello to people heading towards his bedroom. He put the baby seat on the bed, and unbuckling Sophia.

'I'll feed her and put her to bed, maybe she will sleep,' She told Daryl.

There wasn't a lot of noise in the house a few adults sitting around talking, outside was where all the noise was, the music was pumping outside but inside it was quite quiet. Carol wriggled up the top of the bed to feed the baby.

'You want a drink?' Daryl asked her, Carol shook her head, he nodded indicating he would leave them for a bit so she could settle the sleepy baby. Daryl wandered out to the kitchen pulling out a beer from the bin of beers and cracked the top. He drank half of it down looking around to see who was about his house.

'Where's your woman?' Merle come into the kitchen digging through the cupboard for bags of chips to put into bowls.

'Sophia, putting her to bed,' Daryl told him.

'Sorry I steered you wrong, Andrea nearly cut my balls off,' Merle told him, Daryl shook his head.

'I don't know what the fuck I'm doing, what I should be doing, it doesn't matter, I fixed it,' Daryl told him.

'I don't know, I'm not allowed to give you any more advice or nothing, I'm heading outside,' Merle told him, Daryl wandered outside with him.

Carol stood by the baby bed rocking it a little she knew Sophia was sound asleep, she wandered out and didn't see anyone she knew, people were sitting around in little groups some looked up at her as she come out of Daryl's room. She didn't want to wander too far away in case someone went into his room while Sophia was in there. She looked around and Spotted Lori walking into the kitchen, Carol nearly run for her.

'Where's Carl?' Carol asked.

'In Merle and Andrea's room sleeping, we probably going to sleep here, Rick's hammered and I'm not driving all the way home with a baby crying and a handsy husband,' She told her. 'Daryl's outside,'

'Sophia's asleep in there, I don't want to go leaving her,' Carol told him. Lori nodded.

'I'm going to be inside, I can keep an eye out for her if you want,' Lori told her. Carol shook her head. She didn't want to leave her with anyone watching her, she wanted to keep an eye on her or Daryl, Merle or Andrea where allowed to keep an eye on her, other than that she wasn't ready.

'Ok, drink?' Lori passed her a bottle of cider to drink from the fridge. Carol took it and opened it taking a little sip, she didn't really drink so she guessed she would walk around holding the bottle all night.

'Its ok, I'll just hang out,' Carol told her. 'Do you know all these people?'

'Some not all, there is always a wee bunch of cop groupies who try to bag one of the cops,' Lori looked at her, 'Keep your eyes peeled for them, they are ruthless and don't care if they are married or have a girlfriend,'

'If he's going to go with someone else he doesn't want me, I'm not going to worry about stuff like that. If he wants to sleep around he can, I'm not going to fight for him or anything, he knows where I am,' Carol told her. 'If he sleeps with someone, he not invested in me, its simple.' Carol shrugged her shoulders. 'I like Daryl like, like, like, him but I'm never going to beg him.'

'That's a good way to be, I might try that. Bye bye darling you go with the trashy whore, and the locks will be changed and your gear on the deck,' Lori giggled.

'Its just that, if he wants to be with you it doesn't matter what he's offered right? He wants to be with you, you shouldn't have to talk him into it or make him stay, he should want to stay. If you can't trust him not to have sex with someone else, I guess I don't want to be with someone like that. If he does, then he's making his own choice not to be with me,' Carol told her. 'Anyway I always thought that, but I guess I can't talk, I was in a stupid relationship and didn't leave or get out, I'm not the best person to talk to about that.'

'No its interesting, your right, Rick and I always end up in a fight at the end of a night because of these groupies, I should just do the, do whatever you want to, you make the choice you live with it.' Lori told her.

'I don't know, you need to make your own choices, I've made enough bad choices, I'm just not going to fight for someone who may not want to be with me. If he wants to be with me he wouldn't be wanting someone else. I'm not going to drag Soph through that, if he cheats or what ever I'm gone. He knows that.' Carol told her. Carol noticed a few women drifting over towards them, over dressed for a casual party, Carol looked down at her casual jean's and top she was wearing suddenly feeling under dressed.

'So your Daryl's girlfriend,' one asked her, Carol just gave a small smile neither confirming or denying anything to give anyone else anything to gossip about. She saw Daryl come into the lounge and indicate he was going to go check on Sophia in the bedroom, Carol nodded heading over towards him to follow him in to see if she was ok or not. She slipped into the room behind him watching him hold a hand near her face to check she was still breathing. He didn't know she had followed him.

He turned around surprised to see her standing there. 'Hey, you ok?' He asked her.

'I'm fine, been talking with Lori, I didn't want to go outside while there so many people inside, I wanted to keep an ear out,' Carol pointed to Sophia.

Daryl nodded, he walked over and led her out of the room, 'Its fine we can hang out inside, it doesn't matter.'

'I don't mind if you want to hang outside with your friends, I just want to stay inside so no one goes into your room,' Carol told him, he understood, he didn't want anyone to go into his room while Sophia was in there either. He just wrapped his arms around her from behind pulling her back flat against his chest watching what was going on around the house.

Rick was surrounded in a group of women, Daryl was surprised that Lori was ignoring it. They normally ended up in a rip roaring argument, about women hitting on him and him enjoying it. Lori wandered off out of the room and Rick looked after her, stood up moving away from the women to follow Lori, Carol giggled at it.

'Whats so funny?' Daryl asked her, in her ear.

'I might have given Lori some relationship advice, that I didn't know that I knew,' Carol told him, he squeezed her, moving towards the couch pulling her onto his lap kissing her.

'What relationship advice did you give her that has Rick running out of the room after her? When she normally ends up crying because other women hit on him?' Daryl asked her.

'I just told her, if he wants to have sex with someone else he will, if you want to sleep with someone or flirt or have sex with someone that's your choice I'm not going to be here when your done, I owe Sophia more than that,' Carol told him.

'I'm not going to have sex with someone else,' Daryl told her, 'I haven't had sex with anyone for a while now.'

He told her in her ear looking around the room, he knew people were looking at them but he didn't really care what people thought about their relationship it was none of anyone else business.

'I didn't mean you would, I just told Lori I wasn't worried about the group of women she told me about who liked to try get with the cops, she called them groupies, I just told her I wasn't going to get into a fight with another women over you. I'm not doing that, If you want me I'm here, if you don't let me know. I'm not getting into a argument with another women over it.' Carol tried to explain, Daryl nodded.

'You don't need to worry,' he kissed her.

'I'm not worried, I trust you, other wise I wouldn't be here,' Carol kissed him back, in the back ground Carol heard someone call out 'get a room' Carol sighed. People moved around for the next hours until it was time to feed Sophia again, she decided she was going to bed.


	27. Chapter 27

Carol was sound asleep when Daryl saw the last person off the property and helped Lori get a drunk Rick into bed. Which was amusing because Daryl was pretty drunk himself, Lori was beaming Rick had ended up following her around all night because Rick couldn't understand why she wasn't upset when other women hit on him. Daryl had had his share of women hit on him once Carol had gone to bed but as usual he defected the attention to someone who was actually single, telling them he was with someone.

Once he was sure Rick wasn't going to wander off into the woods or do something dumb he climbed into bed beside Carol, he pulled her towards him cuddling into her back. He felt something else in the bed, Sophia was tucked in the front of Carol. He wasn't too sure how he felt about that, he had had a bit to drink and didn't want to roll on her or anything, he shook Carol awake a little.

'You need to put Soph back,' He whispered, Carol roused a little turning her head towards him.

'I've been drinking I don't want to roll on her, Carol, I'm drunk, you need to move her from the bed,' Daryl told her quietly, shaking her again, Carol groaned to herself moving slightly then sitting and moving Sophia to her little bed and tucking her in.

'I'm going to the toilet, is everyone gone?' Carol asked.

'Just Lori, Rick and Carl in the lounge,' Daryl told her, 'You wana take a shower?'

'A shower? At 3am in the morning?' Carol looked at him like he was mad, Daryl nodded.

'Ummmmm why not?' Daryl climbed out of bed, he was still dressed in jean's Carol giggled a little. 'Go on, it'll be fun.'

'Can you even stand?' Carol asked him as rolled out of the bed, he nodded reaching out for his hand thinking he was sneaking through to the bathroom but he banged into the wall instead and laughed telling Carol to shhhh.

He got into the bathroom turning on the lights, then the shower and pulling off his clothes, standing there naked looking at her like she was lunch. He put his hand under the shower feeling it then climbed in. Carol took the moment to use the toilet while he climbed into the shower. Realising that he wasn't kidding about taking a shower with her at 3am in the morning.

'Come on,' He whispered. Carol shook her head wondering how the heck she had gotten involved with Daryl. He really did think 3am was the best time to have a shower and god knows what else he had planned for the bathroom stall. A condom had fallen out of his jean's pocket when he pulled off his pants. Carol doubted he could do anything and also she wanted their first time for Daryl not to be drunk, and in the shower while his friends slept not far from the door.

She sighed and climbed into the shower with him anyway. Wrapping her arms around him and cuddling into his back as he had that too her. He moved around a bit to let her under the water. He was very considerate by helping her wash every part of her, his fingers circled her clit and she groaned into his neck.

'You like that?' He asked her, she nodded, his mouth moved down towards her breasts stopping to suck at them, not expecting a mouthful of milk he snapped his head back and looked at her, 'Oh shit, sorry.'

'Its ok, just be genital,' She told him, she was surprised when he put his mouth back on her nipple running his tongue around it gently, his hand rubbed at her clit and his mouth was tracing a nipple, Carol flipped her head back and grabbed a fist full of his hair, as he slipped two fingers inside her and started moving them inside and out, while his thumb traced her clit.

'Oh god,' Carol groaned, Daryl turned the shower off and pulled her out and threw just about every towel in the bathroom onto the floor, laying her down wet on top of a towel.

'What are you doing?' Carol hissed at him as he climbed on top of her kissing her neck, moving to her side running his hand up and down her wet body seeking out her slit, he moved down her body licking the water off her until he reached his goal, he opened her up running his tongue around her clit, Carol groaned louder than she should in a house with people outside the door.

She was almost over the edge with what he had been doing in the shower, now he had his tongue going in and out of her swapping it with his fingers, he reached up to tease her breasts a little then went back to finish what he started. He pushed his face right in when he heard her making the noises that she was coming, and she came hard in his mouth, he stayed down there kissing and drinking from her before moving slowly back up stopping to suck at her breasts then her neck then her mouth.

Carol reached out to stroke him finding a rock hard dick in her hand after a few strokes he moved himself up her body grinded himself between her breasts and cum all over her. His mouth never leaving hers. He rolled off looking at the roof breathing hard. Shut his eyes for a minute.

'Shit, you ok?' He asked her.

'Yeah, great, you?' Carol asked him.

'Fucken great, you wana take a shower? I promise I won't dirty you up again,' He knew she had to shower him off her, it didn't stop him rolling on his side and looking at her cum covered breasts, reaching out an tracing a pattern through it, he sighed and moved to get to his feet helping her off the floor into the shower again. They both sneaked back through the lounge to his room, Carol stopped to peek at Sophia who was still sleeping, Carol pulled on a tee shirt and panties and climbed in beside Daryl who had pulled on a pair of boxers, falling asleep in each others arms quickly.


	28. Chapter 28

Daryl rolled over in bed looking at the time it was nearly lunch time he had his arse half hanging out of the bed, he looked up and could see Sophia asleep in her wee bed, Carol was gone, but he knew she was still there because Sophia was there. He groaned rolling out standing and stretching, looking around for some clothes to pull on. He looked in her little bed and could see she was in a different outfit sucking on her fingers while she was sleeping.

The room was hot he cracked open some windows then staggered out to the lounge where he nearly tripped over Rick who was still sleeping on the mattress on the floor. Three sets of women's eyes were on him as he gave a little wave and went into the bathroom. He used the toilet, washed his hands and tried to brush the fuzzy feeling from his mouth. His head was a little foggy, he went to dry his hands and there were no towels anywhere in the bathroom so he wiped his hands on his pants.

He wandered out to the kitchen table where the women were sitting and put his hand on Carol's shoulder saying good morning to everyone, Andrea looked at him and sniffed.

'You need a shower you stink, of stale beer,' She told him, Carol looked at Andrea who was bold enough to say what she was thinking.

'There's no towel,' Daryl said.

'Fancy that, someone pulled every towel out last night and threw them on the bathroom floor!' Andrea looked at him, Carol blushed and Daryl scratched his neck looking at her. He looked around the room then back at Andrea and winked at her, Carol put her hands over her face.

'There's ummm towels in the dryer,' Carol said quietly, 'I washed some.'

'Where's Merle?' Daryl started heading towards the kitchen.

'Merle nursing a headache which is not related to you and him and Rick drinking too much last night,' Andrea told him.

Daryl grunted at them walking into the kitchen to pour himself a coffee and leaned back on the counter watching the women, who were all watching him.

'What?' He asked them.

'Daryl your making me gag,' Lori finally said after they all watched him.

'Fine, I'ma gona shower then,' Daryl went into the laundry to get a towel.

'Ummmmm Daryl can we keep it to a two towel minimum for each shower then?' Andrea teased him.

'I didn't do anything to the towels,' He told them.

'Why did Carol feel the need to wash them all at 7 this morning then?' Lori asked him.

'Maybe she has towel issues, keep an eye on her,' He told them as he headed into the bathroom shutting the door behind him, all eyes went to Carol. 'Maybe she has a towel washing fetish?' He called from behind the bathroom door.

'Soooooooo why did you wash all the towels Carol?' Andrea asked all eyes were on her, her face was flaming, she wasn't used to this sort of teasing especially when they were talking about sexual things. She put her face in her hands.

'I think someone got busy on the towels, and they had to be washed?' Lori chimed in.

'I can't, stop asking me,' Carol put her hands over her face.

'Sounds like someone got busy in the bathroom on the towels then they had to wash them all, that's what I think Lori,' Andrea said.

'Well I did see them go into the bathroom last night but didn't leave last night,' Lori teased Carol.

'Ok stop, yes something happened, but thats all I'm saying,' Carol got up moving to the bathroom slipping inside the bathroom to confront Daryl's blabby mouth.

'They all know!' She told him opening up the shower door, seeing him standing there just about asleep with his hands braced on the wall with his eyes shut, he opened his eyes and turned his head looking at her. 'They all know we did something,'

'So, so you come in here while I'm naked in the shower to throw them off the sent them?' Daryl asked shutting his eyes again.

'Oh great now they are going to think I'm doing something else in here again,' Carol told him, she looked him up and down starring at him, she looked at his body, he watched her looking and raised her eyebrows.

'You see something you like babe,' He asked her.

She shook her head, he nodded and reached out to take her hand pulling her too him a little, she giggled. 'No, finish up and we can go for a walk or something, talk without you trying to get me wet and naked,' She told him slipping out of his grip.

He found her sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for him, he come in wrapped in a towel, glanced in the baby bed Sophia was still sleeping. He started drying himself watching her watching him, he pulled on underwear and jeans and a tee shirt.

'How long's she going to sleep for?' He asked Carol.

'She will wake soon,'

'K, going to eat something, when she wakes we go for a walk around ok?' Daryl asked dragging her to her feet. 'Did you have breakfast?'

'Daryl i've been up about 5hours. I've had breakfast,' She told him.

'Well let me make you lunch,' Daryl told her taking her hand walking past Rick who was still snoring giving him a genital poke to wake him. Lori and Andrea were sitting outside on the deck drinking coffee. Carol wandered out to sit with them to look around the wooded area out the back of Daryl's place, it looked like a nice back yard, she hadn't seen it really in day light or been out there yet.


	29. Chapter 29

Daryl and Carol spent the day hanging out completely at ease with each other having fun, walking with Sophia, making out like teenagers when Andrea and Merle took her for a bit when they were pottering around outside tidying up the yard. Daryl took the opportunity to tackle Carol for a bit of fun on his bed. Carol had been lying down reading a book on his bed while Daryl had Sophia doing stuff with Merle then he left her with Andrea not embarrassed at all when he asked them to watch her for half an hour. Merle raised his eyebrows asking if it would only take him half an hour.

Daryl shook his head saying that wasn't happening, he just wanted to hang out with her. He crawled up the bed starting at her feet and kissing his way up her body. Carol groaned looking at him under her book as he sucked on her big toe.

'What are you doing? Where's the baby?' she asked him.

'With Uncle Merle,' He told her licking up her calf, Carol had just had a shower, she was wearing shorts, and a singlet top with no bra on, her hair was still wet, he was getting her turned on well and truly and he knew it.

'Is she ok?' Carol asked, Daryl was lifting up her singlet top lick her belly button and sucking there, he lifted his head.

'No I left her screaming her head off, she's fine, more than fine probably,' Daryl stopped his travels and looked at her.

'What? I was just wondering, if she was ok, you had her then come back without her,' Carol said, 'Don't stop.' She nudged him.

'The baby talk kinda ruined the mood,' Daryl whispered.

'Why, she's always going to be here,'

'Did you think I left her under a rose bush or something to get into your panties?' Daryl asked her, going back to lick her belly button.

'Probably,' Carol whispered as he attempted to pull down her shorts, his mouth travelling lower down her body, he run his hands up her sides, Carol reached down pulling on his hair. She had quickly learnt that Daryl liked to lick and kiss things, she liked it, loved it. She lifted her butt to help him, then they both heard it, Carol groaned and Daryl rolled off her, adjusting his pants before checking to make sure covered before opening the door for the baby crying for her mother.

'Someone wants her Mama,' Andrea past over Sophia to Daryl who took her to the bed to offer her to her mother, Daryl lay down so Sophia was between them watching as she settled on her Mama.

'Can you take us home after this?' Carol asked Daryl.

He nodded reaching out to stroke Sophia's little head, 'I can, why?'

'I just want to spend some time alone, its been full on all weekend, I need to do washing and stuff, and tomorrow I'm meeting Lori at a baby play group,' She told him, he nodded.

'You don't want me to stay?'

'I do, but, we probably need some time alone right, doing our own thing?' Carol asked him, really she was worried that he would get sick of them, she didn't care if he moved in, she loved having him there.

'I don't need to do my own thing, but if you need some time?'

'No I thought you might,' she told him.

'I don't need alone time, at the moment, I might go hunting or something when I have some time off, next weekend maybe, but I'm working nights all next week,' he looked at her, 'You wana stay here? While I'm working nights? With Merle and Andrea?'

Carol bit her lip, she shook her head, she would be fine alone, she'd been at her place alone while they had their fight she would be fine. He rolled off the bed and moved around trying to get his gear ready to take with him. He looked for a uniform and remembered he hadn't washed yet, he looked in his laundry basket.

'Can I do some washing at yours then?' He asked, she nodded. She almost laughed about him bringing dirty clothes with him to her house.

Once Sophia was changed and fed they put her into the car seat and headed into town to Carols flat.


	30. Chapter 30

Carol turned off the light to the bedroom, she had taken another shower, Daryl was in there now. She climbed into bed wearing her boxer short pj set. Sophia was asleep in the hall just outside the bedroom door, she had taken ages to settle tonight and she resorted into putting her into her pram rocking it over the power cord. It was a carry cot type so she could sleep there for as long as she wanted Carol mused. She couldn't understand why she was so unsettled.

She spent most of the night attached to Carol's breasts, Daryl come into the room wrapped in a towel looking at the baby as he passed. He handed her her water bottle to have a drink. He was thoughtful and kind, doing stuff for her without her asking for it.

'You ok?' He asked, she nodded snuggling down into the bed. He put a couple of condoms on the little table of the bed, she looked at them suddenly they were the Elephant in the room. Both of them looking at birth control then Carol blushed hard. She shut her eyes, listening to him moving around the room getting things ready for her, he had grabbed a couple of diapers and wipes. Even a change of night clothes. He was catching on fast thinking about Sophia. He put it on her side of the bed on the table there.

He moved around setting out his uniform for the morning so it wasn't going to be all mucked up. Carol squinted out the slits in her eyes watching him. Watching the muscles in his back moving as he fiddled with things setting stuff out. He moved the bassinet so it wasn't in the way, putting it closer to Carol for when they got her up during the night. He put his phone and pager on the night stand, then he pulled back the sheets a little to get into bed beside her.

'We don't have too, I just thought, just in case,' Daryl mumbled knowing she was still thinking about the condoms on the night stand, while getting into bed rolling into her side. He pulled her close then groaned realizing he forgot to turn off the light moving to turn off the light. Carol could see he was naked. He was just walking around naked looking like that, semi erect from snuggling into her side for a few seconds.

He turned it off then back on to check the baby just in case, she was fine, he turned off the light again to get into bed. He moved fast snuggling into her side. He drew her close into his arms to hold her. Kissing her on the neck. She rolled into him putting her hand onto his chest.

'You ok?' He asked her, 'I got a bit carried away last night?'

'No, I liked it,' She whispered, 'I never done anything like that, I mean... I haven't done anything, just usual stuff.' Carol face was hot, she knew if it was daylight she would be flaming in the face.

'Usual stuff?' He mumbled, stroking his hand down her body running it across her singlet top, down her boxers to her thigh. He mumbled something kissing into her mouth.

'No toe sucking that's for sure,' Carol groaned.

'Hmmmmm' he was busy kissing her and rolling on top of her nestling on her settling between her thighs. He moved kissing his way across her jaw, she run her hands down his back. He froze a little then relaxed when she didn't say anything about his scars. He licked at a nipple and traced the other. He had her totally pinned beneath him and Carol wasn't scared or worried. She groaned as he licked his way to her belly button tracing his tongue around it.

He rolled off her a little to help her out of her singlet top, she reached out to touch him. stroking down his chest, leaning in to kiss his neck. He leaned back dragging her on top of him. She reached down stroking his hard dick wrapping her fingers round it moving her hand up and down. He took a share intake as she pumped him a couple of times. He reached into her boxers to find that she was already wet. He moved his mouth back to hers.

He let go a load of curse words when his pager went off. 'Fuck, fuck!' He rolled over reaching for it. It fell to the floor he threw himself out of the bed looking for it. Pushing the door shut and looking for underwear. Getting paged during the night never was a good thing. He read the page at the same time he pulled underwear on, then pants and shoes. His shirt went on next followed by his bullet proof vest. His jacket went on top. Carol sat up topless in the bed with her hands around her knees worried.

'What is it?' She asked.

'Armed defenders, Someone's running around with a gun. Keep the lights off. Don't go anywhere till I ring, or someone rings you,' He told her quickly. He picked up his phone that was ringing. 'Yeah, ... Carol's ... 1 minute... Lock and load.'

'Don't ring me ok, I'll ring, or text or something, If I text don't reply, I might be hiding something?'

'Hiding?' Carol looked worried.

'I'ma be safe, just if my phone goes off someone might hear it.' Daryl leaned into the bed to kiss her. 'Timing sucks but I'm coming back,' Daryl kissed her. 'Come lock the door behind me,'

Carol moved to put a shirt on to follow him he pulled her to him topless just in her boxers, and he managed to get her to escort him to the door topless. 'Keep the doors shut, lock it,'

She kissed him once again there was a police car pulled up outside and left as quick as it came in the dark. Carol locked the door and went back to lay in bed. It was almost as if the condoms were mocking her. She tried to sleep, worried about him then her phone buzzed.

'Don't worry xox sleep'


	31. Chapter 31

Go to sleep, yeah ok, thought Carol. She dozed until morning and Daryl still hadn't come back. Sophia was awake and Carol decided to take a bath with her to try settle her own nerves. No news was good news, she muttered to herself. Filling the bath and taking both phones with her still nothing was coming through.

She spent as long as Sophia would allow her in the bath. It was still early she had a couple of hours until she had agreed to meet Lori to go to a coffee group with the babies. She got Sophia dressed, fed her then tucked her into her pram to sleep in case she was still awake.

She sat and ate breakfast her gut churning. In the end she rung Lori to see if they were still meeting. Lori was postive on the phone that no news had come through. Leave a note at home, usually Rick would ring her at some stage. They should still go out for a coffee.

Reluctantly Carol met Lori outside the town centre hall rooms where different groups held meetings and once a week the local mothers come with their babies and kids for a coffee. Carol was experiencing extreme panic when she went inside pleased to have Lori with her.

Some of the women were delightful looking into the pram praising Sophia how cute she was and some were giving her looks up and down. Carol checked to make sure she wasn't wearing stained clothes, but she was wearing a pretty top and jeans. Nothing that warranted people to stare at her.

Lori was popular with everyone and knocked the questions off about Carol at the ask, staying by her side the whole morning. Everyone seemed to want to know if Sophia was Daryl's baby, that was the question asked. Carol couldn't believe people were so rude just to ask outright about it. It was none of their business. A couple had heard about Ed, Carol kept steering conversations towards feeding and sleeping.

Carol finally relaxed into a chair to feed Sophia and enter into a conversation about babies that didn't include questions of was she dating Daryl Dixon. She rolled her eyes at Lori about everything that that morning had said. She was relaxed because she got a text from Daryl asking where she was and she could text back.

She was burping Sophia when the doors to the rooms opened, everyone looked to see who it was, Rick and Daryl entered looking a little rough but showered and changed. Carol did an involentry gasp when she saw Daryl's face was sporting a split lip and a black eye. Rick had a egg shaped bruise on his head. They hovered just inside the door, Daryl gave her a nod to indicate she should come to him, he wasn't about to walk into the room of cackling women.

Taking Sophia with her she keep her eyes on his and walked up flush to his body, he put his arm around her and guided them out to the hall.

'Its just a black eye, its nothing,' he whispered well aware people might be listening to them. Rick had wandered down the hall with Lori, clearly something was amiss. 'One of the guys has been shot pretty bad,'

'Oh God,' Carol said, not really knowing what to say.

'Just done all the paper work, you finished here?' Daryl looked at his watch, it was past lunch time, the coffee group had gone over, he looked down the hall at Rick, 'I'm gona walk with Carol,' He took Sophia leaving Carol to go inside with Lori to collect their prams and stuff to leave. The room was quiet. The women knew the drill Lori would never spill any information about Rick's job. They didn't ask Carol either.

Carol smiled and told them she looked forward to next week and pushed her empty pram out the door. She found Daryl sitting on a chair talking quietly to Sophia who was smiling away at him, Daryl looked a wreak, he stood up, indicating he wanted to hold Sophia for a while, she nodded ok.

'Was it ok?' Daryl asked her as they walked down the road towards the flat.

'Yes, apart from the 101 questions about you, and you being Soph's Dad or was it Ed or was that why Ed attacked me,' Carol muttered, 'Hopefully they will have more interesting questions next week,'

'You can tell them its me if you wana,' Daryl told her walking along he had Soph in the crook of one arm, he reached out to stop Carol with the other, 'I don't care if you tell them she's mine, I'll file papers saying she's mine if you wana,'

'What if... what if we break up or something? People are going to wonder?' Carol looked at him she was going though all the reasons at one hundred miles per hour in her head. 'If we say she's yours what happens if we split?'

'She's still be mine,' Daryl told her, Carol looked at him not knowing what to say.

'I think you got hit in the head a little, we need to talk about it some more,' She told him, pushing the pram ahead.

'I'm not joking around Carol,' He called after her as he started following her again.

'I know your not joking thats whats freaking me out,'

'You freaking out because its too soon?' Daryl put his hand on the pram to stop it from moving off. Carol nodded. 'How about when she's 6 months, I ask you again?'

'6 months time or when she's 6 months?'

'When Sophia's 6 months,' Daryl told her, Carol nodded, 'Ok lets get home I'm starving and tired,' Carol and Daryl walked side by side the rest of the way home, Daryl carried Sophia the whole way.


	32. Chapter 32

'You cant eat coco pops for dinner,' Carol watched from the couch with Sophia as Daryl made himself something to eat. He had slept most of the day away just woken now to shower and eat, he had a towel wrapped around him and he glanced over at her.

'I'm not just having coco pops, I'm gona have a bacon sandwich too,' he told her pulling out the fry pan then stopping to shove coco pops in his mouth.

'Do you want me to cook your bacon?' The words come out of her mouth before she could stop them, he didn't expect her to do anything for him especially if she was caring for Sophia. He gave her that look he gave her sometimes, the look that said don't you even think about it, and shook his head.

'Don't you think you should put clothes on before cooking bacon?' Carol suggested.

'Nah,'

'Ok then,' Carol leaned back with Sophia pretending she wasn't watching him but watching tv instead. Pretending she wasn't laughing when the bacon started spitting at him.

'Fuck!' Daryl spat out from the kitchen.

'What was that?' Carol asked him trying not to laugh, she moved around putting sleepy Sophia into her bed. Daryl was jumping back from the bacon pretending he wasn't.

'Nothing, she asleep?' Daryl nodded towards the bed.

'Nearly, I'm ready, I'm going to shower then go to bed and read for a bit,' Carol told him as he did a half naked dance around the spitting bacon. He nodded and moved to butter some bread. She was tired, tired from being up worried about him. His eye was pretty bad the most he would do was put a cold cloth on it, insisting it was fine.

'I'm going to eat then I will come,' he looked up after he said it and winked.

'Daryl, thats gross,' Carol told him walking out towards the bathroom. She was tired, hardly any sleep, Sophia hadn't slept much today and she couldn't wait till her head hit the pillow. It would be bliss.

The bathroom door opened and Daryl walked in to look at himself in the mirror, he looked at his chest there were marks from where the bacon had got him. He had a bacon sandwich in one hand and touching his chest with the other. He started pulling out the drawers in the bathroom looking at things pulling stuff out to check what it was.

'Do we have any burn cream?' He asked Carol.

'I don't know, there is a fully stocked first aid kit there,' Carol told him. 'Maybe you should have put a shirt on is it bad?'

'Not too bad, but there is about 5 wee burns here,' Daryl finally admitted.

'Daryl if there isn't any cream, look at Soph's diaper cream, there might be something with soothing stuff, and or antibiotic cream.' Carol told him from inside the shower. Carol wasn't surprised he was looking for burn cream, everyone knew bacon was deadly when it attacked.

'You want me to rub her bum cream on my chest?' Daryl muttered from outside the shower door, a hand come through holding a tube to show her if thats the one he should use. Carol was surprised, he had no boundaries of personal space. She took the tube and read the back.

'What else is there, or is that the only one? Hang on give me a minute,' Carol rinsed her hair, turning the shower off. A towel was passed through the door. She looked at his chest, it was starting to blister. 'Daryl, put a cold cloth on it.'

'Its not that bad,' He muttered.

Carol run a bath cloth of Sophia's under running cold water then held it to his chest. 'So is the bacon sandwich worth it?'

'Yes, I've got a little bit of bacon left so I'm going to make another,' He shoved the rest of his sandwich in his mouth looking down at her holding the cloth to his chest, she rolled it over to put the colder side against it.

'It better?'

'Mmmmmm its ok, is it bad?' He asked her. She took off the cloth, shook her head.

'I think you will live,' She leaned up giving him a peck on the mouth. She looked through the first aid kit there was nothing there, so she dug through Sophia's cream's to see which was the best one to have. She tugged her towel around herself closer, this was so weird for her doing stuff like this with Daryl, he had no shame with being there sharing the bathroom. Carol never had this kind of relationship with a male ever.

She rubbed a little cream on him, she wanted to tell him it was his own fault he got burnt for cooking half naked.

'I know, don't say it,' Daryl looked at her.

'Say what?'

'Don't cook naked,' Daryl leaned down to kiss her.

'Just don't cook bacon naked,' Carol told him. He shook his head, patted her butt and wandered off to the kitchen to make another sandwich.

Carol dried off and wondered if she should go through the pretense of actually putting on something to sleep in, in the end she pulled on a pair of sexy panties and a singlet top and climbed under the covers. Daryl come in sporting another sandwich and a glass of juice putting them on the side table climbing into bed beside her eating his sandwich.

'I'm still hungry,' He told her.

'Well there's some fruit or something,' she told him.

'I don't wana eat fruit,' he told her putting his sandwich down on the bedside table pulling her to him kissing her, his hands were on her, she was in no doubt of what he wanted to eat.


	33. Chapter 33

'Ring Andrea,' Daryl mumbled as he pulled on pants, he swore everything was trying to cock block him. Sophia woken up crying just as he kissed Carol's neck. Crying that he hadn't heard from her, he leaped out of bed naked grabbing her from the hallway almost tripping over his own feet to get her back to Carol. He pulled on pants, then crawled up the bed. Sophia let out a high pitched squeal that indicated she was in some sort of pain and whimpered at Carol's chest.

'What time is it?' Carol looked around for the clock to see the time.

'Don't care, ring her,'

'Its too late to ring,' Carol said, trying to do something to stop Sophia from crying, she arched her back letting out a wail.

'Why she crying then?' Daryl asked, he pulled on his tee shirt wondering what to say.

'I don't know, how long did she sleep?' Carol looked at the clock.

'About 40 minutes, maybe, I don't know, what do we do?' Daryl looked upset, Carol was upset, Sophia was upset.

'I don't know whats wrong,' Carol said. 'She's never cried like this.'

'Can I revoke a co-parenting right or something? I'm ringing Andrea,' Daryl said he reached for his phone, Carol nodded nearly crying.

'Sophia's sick,' Daryl all but shouted into the phone when Andrea answered the phone. He listened for a seconded going into the bathroom he pulled open the draw coming out with a baby thermometer to take the temperature, he pulled it out of the box. Following the directions and listening to Andrea over the phone, he pointed it at Sophia's head. It beeped and he read the number out to Andrea.

'Ok, ok, Yip, ok. Yes, ... ok, see you soon,' Daryl told her. He hung up the phone looking at Carol, 'She's coming to check her, Do you want me to try walking around here for a bit? You can get dressed?'

Carol handed over a crying Sophia while she looked for clothes to put on. Pulling on pants over her under wear and a sweatshirt, Sophia was hot and she let out a wail and vomited on Daryl, he moved her off that spot he had her bottom resting in his hand and then he felt it, an explosion of sorts coming out the side of her diaper into his hand.

'Arrrrrrrrrrrrrh Carol, Carol, Help!' He called out. He was covered in poop and puke. Gagging trying to to vomit himself. He held her to his chest even though she was covered, Carol come into the room looking to see why he was calling out to her, she put her hand over her mouth.

'Here, I'll take her,' Carol took her holding her out from her body wondering what to do, Daryl was heading to the bathroom to shower, Carol followed him in holding Sophia out, she had stopped crying but was covered in vomit and poop. Daryl stripped turning the shower on and stepping in, leaving his clothes in a heap on the floor. Carol put a towel down and took her clothes off, she was hot to touch, now she was smelly. Daryl was scrubbing himself down.

'That was gross, really gross,' Daryl said out of the shower, 'Pass her in, I'll wash her,'

'You want her?' Carol asked.

'Pass her in I'll wash her off,' Daryl pulled open the shower curtain, Carol passed her in, and the baby soap to clean her. She gathered their poopy clothes to take to the laundry and shoved them in the machine, thinking she could wash them twice or three times to get it all off.

She turned the heater on in the lounge and quickly gathered her some clothes then raced back in with a towel to get Sophia. She looked in and he had washed her hair right down to her toes, Carol stared at them for a second watching Daryl cradle her in his arms. Her head balanced against his shoulder. He wasn't watching Carol his attention was on Sophia, washing around her neck.

'She puked again,' Daryl said Carol held out the towel taking her from the room to get her dried.

There was a knock at the door, she opened it to Andrea and Merle followed her. She was carrying her black doctor bag and opened it, pulling out some bits and pieces, she took her temp again, looked her over, in her ears, down her throat. Daryl come out with a towel wrapped around him to check everything was ok. He wandered off to put some clothes on. When he come back Merle was sitting at the small dining table he had made coffees for everyone.

Andrea gave her some pain meds to help her settle down. Told Carol she could get her dressed.

'Its a virus, her ears look a little sore, but the fact she's vomited and has pooped we will look at her ears again tomorrow, ' Andrea told them going over to sit at the table to drink her coffee. 'Keep feeding her, hold her, she should sleep, you can give her some more pain meds at 5am if she needs it,'

'How did she get a virus?' Daryl asked her, Andrea shrugged.

'Anywhere, she's been around a lot of people this weekend, also she went to the playgroup today,' Andrea told him, Carol glanced his way both Andrea and Carol knew what he was going to say , Andrea bet Carol to the comment. 'You can't keep her wrapped in cotton wool Daryl she's going to get sick.'

'I didn't say anything,' Daryl muttered walking over to get his and Carol's cup of coffee putting Carol's on the little table next to her, standing drinking his.

'You were thinking it, though weren't you, you were thinking about how you could stop her from getting sick,' Merle teased him. Andrea gave him a look that Merle shut up right that moment knowing that Andrea would go nuts if he kept teasing Daryl, he caused enough problems over the weekend.

'How do you stop them getting sick?' Daryl directed his question to Andrea and Carol avoiding Merle's gaze, Sophia was sound asleep at Carol's breast. 'How long till she's better?'

'A few day's maybe, tomorrow, if she's still vomiting tomorrow, I want to know,' Andrea directed her comment to Carol. 'You need to feed her often and keep her with you, keep checking her temp, if it gets too high I want to know.'

An hour later Merle and Andrea left, they moved to the bedroom. 'You want me to sleep in Sophia's room?'

'I think, she should sleep here with me, you don't have to go, she can sleep this side you can sleep that side.' Carol told him. He yawned and looked at the clock, relieved he didn't have to work tomorrow, or today. He climbed in beside Carol who had Sophia tucked into her front and tried to sleep.

'You ok?' He asked Carol.

'I'm ok, just don't like her being sick,'

'Me neither,' Daryl mumbled reaching in front of Carol to rub Sophia's back, then he rubbed Carol and tried to sleep.


	34. Chapter 34

By the end of the week Sophia was back to her old self, Carol was tired and Daryl was relieved that they made it through the week without any major hiccups, he hadn't realised how quickly he had become so attached to both Carol and Sophia. He also couldn't stop thinking about sex. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. Sophia had kept them both occupied and Carol was running around in a singlet with no bra half the night and boxer shorts that he got a hard on every time he looked her way.

He didn't know how any other parents ever got sex. Ever to make another baby. They both lay in the bed shattered, barely kissing goodnight before falling into a slumber. Daryl was shutting down his computer going off shift, someone else was coming on, he was already thinking about Carol. He fiddle this some stuff on his desk then moved about getting his gear and hanging up his keys.

He promised the guys a few weeks back they would go hunting this weekend and now he didn't want to go. For the first time in his life he wanted to chill out at home or at Carol's home. Rick and Merle were depending on him so he was going. They were leaving in a couple of hours. He was antsy about it. He didn't want to leave Carol or Sophia.

He ducked into Merle's Garage on the way home to check everything was still happening. Then ducked out to his house to gather stuff he needed. His cross bow, a gun, tent, sleeping bags, torches and a book. He thought about the last time he went camping and hunting so much had changed since then. He threw his gear into his truck and headed back into town.

He moved quickly though the super market grabbing stuff for the trip grabbing a few things for Carol over the weekend for a special treat he planned to leave under her pillow. He then headed around to Carol's to spend some time before Merle finished work. He knocked then let himself in with keys, they were both asleep, Sophia in her pram in the lounge, and Carol looked like she had laid down for a moment to read a book in bed, in those damn boxer shorts and singlet top, Daryl took a moment to stare at her. Daryl wandered through to the laundry stripping naked shoving his clothes in the machine then walking through to the shower to have one before embarking on the two night trip.

He looked at his face, his eye had gone down but was turning a lovely yellow colour, his lip had healed with some cream Andrea had given him to put on. He turned the shower on, then wandered through the flat naked looking for something to eat. He had a banana down followed by some bars all eaten fast. He climbed into the shower to wash. Washing his hair he leaned back against the wall of the shower thinking about what he would rather be doing with Carol than stuck in the tent with Rick and Merle. Not to mention he didn't think he would ever have sex again until Sophia went to college or something.

The married men at the station had always complained that they never got any, Daryl couldn't understand why they wouldn't when they were sleeping with a women in their bed every night how they would never ever get it. Now he could understand why. There was a few nights there where he wondered if he would actually make it though to the morning. Last thing he would have thought about suggesting was sex with Carol, she might have clocked him one for thinking about it. He couldn't help it, with her walking around the house in her boxers and singlets.

Daryl was getting hard even thinking about it. Standing in the shower like that thinking about touching her. He heard the bathroom door open, he turned his back in case she looked in seeing him standing there with a huge erection.

'Hey you didn't wake me,' come her voice over the shower door.

'Just got here, going to wash then wake you, how long baby been down?' Daryl asked her.

'Long enough for us to spend some time together without her waking,' Came her reply, Daryl peeked out the shower door, Carol was stripping her singlet off and pulling the boxers down to join him. He groaned as she come up hard against him kissing him. He couldn't help himself pretty much lifting her up lifting her to wrap her legs around his waist. She squealed little as he lifted her.

His mouth was on hers and he couldn't help but groan. He hadn't kissed her like this in a week. He lowered her down so he could touch her everywhere her hands matched his.

'Bedroom?' Daryl whispered. Carol nodded, he turned the shower off to get out of the bathroom. Grabbing towels, Carol checked Sophia, she was fine.

'Come on, go, go, go,' Whispered Daryl pulling her into the bedroom.

'Daryl, you nearly pulled me into the wall,' Carol whispered as she half closed the door behind her, he wasn't really listening rather than trying to take her towel away from her.

'Carol, shhh babe, anytime we get anywhere something happens, I'm sorry I knocked you into the wall,' He looked at the red mark on her arm bending to kiss it, she put her hand on the side of his face, he took her hand and sucked on one of her fingers, then her thumb, then running his teeth along them. Sucking on them, it was kinda erotic, kissing the inside of her wrist.

She had her eyes on his mouth that was sucking on her fingers, she let out a groan, he moved to kiss her mouth. He slowly backed her onto the wall. Both were still in their towels kissing and touching each other, Daryl's hands hadn't moved below the towel and Carol's were drifting up and down his back, tracing every bump and scar there. He wedged her legs wider with his knees and moved to pull at her towel, she tugged at his and it dropped to the ground. Her towel was gone, as he backed away bringing her slowly with him until his legs hit the back of the bed and he fell backwards pulling her with him.

She was on top of him, he reached down to touch her, she was soaking wet for him, he moved to grab a condom that had almost gathered dust since he put it beside the bed rolling it on himself. Carol blushed and looked away, he hadn't let her move off him, he was trying to encourage her to go on top, she shook her head. He flipped her on the matress snuggling himself between her legs, reaching down to guide himself in. He held still for moment as they both breathed for a second. He was already close, he rubbed her clit to help her along the way.

He started to move slowly, she shut her eyes, he watched her face then tried to concentrate on a spot on the wall to stop himself from coming before she did. He rubbed her and listened to her groan's he moved faster against her, he tipped his head to suck hard at her breast, getting milk for his trouble he gave a low groan as it tipped him to his peak. He could feel her getting wet and starting to tighten around him. He let go and pumped into her harder, latching onto her nipple as he came. He was careful not to bite her but he wanted to, moving up to her neck then her mouth after he slowed down.

He stayed in her for a minute kissing her hard. He held the base of the condom pulling out, rolled off the bed to get rid of it, walking naked to the bathroom trash to bin it then come back to the bed. Carol was watching him with big wide eyes as he climbed back into the bed.

'What's wrong?' he asked here seeing she was looking at him.

'Nothing, I liked it, I was just thinking, I ...' Carol started.

'Thinking?...'

'I'm just going to miss having you around, and now we done that, I'm going to be thinking about it all weekend,' Carol leaned into him kissing him again. Daryl looked over at the clock, thinking they had about 5 minutes to cuddle, then have a quick shower and Merle would be there.


	35. Chapter 35

'You don't have too,' Carol told Daryl as he moved his gear into Merle's truck.

'We not taking 3 trucks, keep mine, you might want to do something,' Daryl told her.

In her mind Carol was wondering what the heck he thought she would plan to do, or where she would go. She told him yes she might go visit Lori but she could walk there. She sighed and nodded she would keep his truck just in case anything happened.

He gave Sophia a cuddle and kiss then moved onto Carol, Merle stood there holding Sophia not knowing where to look as his brother kissed the heck out of Carol in the end he cleared his throat, 'Children in the room,' Followed by a few coughs, Daryl held her hand all the way to the truck, then Merle passed back Sophia, Daryl gave them both a quick kiss.

'I'll see you Sunday,' He told her.

'We will be here,'

'Ok ring Andrea, if you need anything, or ring me if you need me back,' He told her.

'Daryl just go, Rick will be waiting what could possibly go wrong,' She winked at him.

'Don't or I won't go,' he warned her.

'We will be fine, I promise,' She told him.

Carol and Sophia watched as the truck drove off for a few minutes then headed inside. Carol pulled out her overnight bag and Sophia's and loaded the baby up into the truck. She packed their bags during the day while he was at work and what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him none. She was not spending the weekend at home, she drove off never seeing the little treats Daryl had left under her pillow.

Daryl had watched them out the side mirror until they turned the corner to go get Rick.

'So by the look on your face you finally got some brother?' Merle asked him, Daryl shot him a look warning him he wouldn't spill anything. 'Am I gona be a Uncle again?'

Merle parked in front of Rick's house and Daryl gave him a shove to help him get out the door. They quickly loaded up Rick's gear to get going. Merle was giving Daryl good natured ribbing. Lori waved them off and headed inside to gather up her bags and baby, loading him into the truck.

5 hours later saw Daryl lying in the tent alongside Rick and Merle one of which who had just farted in the tent. Daryl leaned forwards in his sleeping bag moving to the entrance opening the flaps to let some air in before he died. He could be a home rather than out in the dark in the cold with the guys. They were going to rise early and try track a deer or something. Daryl after he flicked the tent flaps crawled out going out a little way away from camp to take a piss. He come back and cracked a beer hoping it would make him sleep a little better.

He was missing Carol, they had scratched an itch but he wanted more. He didn't want to be lying in a stinking tent with them he wanted to go back. Carol hadn't text or anything, he checked again. He sighed hoping that was a good sign, he headed back into the tent hoping Carol was ok.

5 hours later Carol was holding her sides trying not to laugh her head off at Andrea's impersonations of Merle. She was having a great time, they had taken the lid off the spa on the deck at Daryl's house. They hadn't told the guys that Lori and Carol were spending the weekend with Andrea. Sophia was sound asleep in her bed in Daryl's room and Carl was asleep in the porta cot in the spare room. The baby monitors were on the table near the spa.

Andrea had poured everyone fake cocktails but you wouldn't know they were not drinking from all the giggling that was going on. Eventually they got out of the spa to head inside to watch a movie, while eating chips and dip. Andrea and Lori were good company.

'What's the funniest thing is that the guys will be stuck out in a tent, eating beans, and here we are watching a movie and stretching out in the bed alone,' Andrea declared.

'I think Daryl was worried about me being home alone, I should have told him,' Carol suggested.

'Nope, don't tell, it will make them think they can go off every weekend or something, pretend we missed them heaps.' Lori told her.

'I do miss him,' Carol admitted. Andrea and Lori exchanged looks.

'Its just because its new, sex is new, everything is new, give it a few years of washing his dirty socks and jocks and the novity will wear off.' Andrea told her.

'Talking about jocks, Rick wondering why I won't go buy him some, I'm not his Mama, he can go buy his own jocks right, I'm not being a bitch for not to go buy them,' Lori asked.

Carol looked to Andrea, she didn't know, buying underwear for your partner or husband wasn't something she had thought about.

'He's a big boy now, make him buy his own, or go buy a g-string for him,' Andrea giggled, Carol shook her head thinking about it, she didn't know if she would buy underwear or not. If she had time maybe. Luckily she didn't have to answer she went to get Sophia to feed her. She noticed a look pass between Lori and Andrea.

'Soooooo Carol, when are we going to talk about those bite marks on you?' Andrea grinned at her, Carols hand went to her neck, Andrea shook her head. 'Lower the ones on your boobs?'

'What, he didn't leave bite marks on my boobs,' Carol looked down.

'So he could have left bite marks there?' Lori teased, 'Walked right in,'

Carol face flamed, 'Ok, ok, we did it, thats all you need to know,'

Lori and Andrea high fived each other, Carol shook her head. All these people were so noisy about her and Daryl. They gave her some gentle teasing until they went to bed. Carol stretched out in Daryl's bed closing her eyes sleeping like a star fish having a little giggle to herself with him thinking she was at home all lonely alone.


	36. Chapter 36

Daryl was tapping his fingers on the dash of Merles truck he was driving slow on purpose and Daryl knew it, they just dropped off Rick to his house and Merle was taking his slow sweet time getting to Carol's place. Daryl knew he smelt bad but he wanted to go straight to them. He all but leaped out of the truck before it even stopped grabbing his bag out of the back telling Merle he would be out home later to help clean up the Deer they got.

He saw his truck in the drive way, he hoped she hadn't gone out for a walk or something. She looked up at him from feeding Sophia on the couch when he come in. The smile on her face.

'Your back,' She announced. He moved in to hug her, excited to see them both, she wrinkled her nose at his smell.

'I know I stink, I'm gona shower,' She lifted her face so he could kiss her, she wrapped her hand around his shirt keeping him there sniffing again.

'Is it skunk?' she asked him.

'Its just a tiny bit on my socks, I'll take my clothes off in the garage,' He wandered off to the garage stripping down, throwing his socks away, putting the rest in the machine with three times the amount of washing powder then, turning it onto a heavy load. He was going to have to wash it all twice he was sure.

He wandered back through the flat, his smell was mainly his clothes that smelt bad. He was starving for real food, he pulled open the fridge to set about making himself a sandwich.

'Ummmm Daryl, you not going to make bacon sandwiches are you?' Carol teased him, he shook his head putting peanut butter in some bread heading to the bathroom to shower.

'Did you miss me?' Daryl stuck his head back out around the door of the lounge looking at her, she nodded, pointing towards the bathroom.

'You stink, please, I can't, not till you shower.' Carol told him.

He gave her a wink looked into the bedroom then went to shower. By the time he come out Carol had put Sophia to bed for a sleep. She come into the bedroom to talk with him. He was wrapped in a towel looking at her. She walked up to give him a hug. He felt great in her arms.

She went up on her tippee toes to kiss him. 'Did you have a nice time?'

'Not really, Rick and Merle in a tent after eating beans not a great time, missed you though,' Daryl told her, 'Gotta go home to help Merle clean up some meat, you wanna come?'

'Hmmm maybe,' She fell back onto the bed as he kissed her harder he went down with her moving his kiss to her neck.

'Carol?' Daryl asked her, 'Did you stay at home this weekend?'

'Yeah, just me and Soph, why?' Carol looked surprised that he would ask.

He reached above her under her pillow pulling out a box of chocolates and a little note he had left her. Putting them on her chest as evidence that she didn't stay at home, he looked into her eyes and she giggled.

'For me?' Carol asked him.

'For you, where did you go? My place?' Daryl asked, Carol nodded that he was correct. 'So let me guess while I was in a smelly tent, you were in the spa with Andrea?'

'And Lori,' Carol whispered.

'Lori too, you lot made us feel bad about going and you all had a girly weekend,' He pulled up her hand seeing her painted fingernails and brought her finger tips to his mouth. 'I had to sleep with Merle and Rick and you slept like a starfish, in my bed,' he teased her, kissing her neck.

He helped her out of her clothes to get to know her a little better, he missed her over the weekend and his body moved with hers quickly. He opened the box of chocolates and popped one in his mouth to chew on, he rolled onto his back with her, pulling open her drawers to get a condom, rolling in on he helped her climb onto him. Giving her the nod that it was ok for her to enjoy it.

Carol was bashful about sex not really knowing if she was doing the right thing or not. By Daryl's face and the noises he was making she was sure she was doing it right. She come down hard on him, he was rubbing at her clit with one hand and fondling a breast with another. She fell down flat at his chest as he came. Kissing him hard, rolling off him, drawing him to her side kissing him. She missed him heaps and he wasn't mad or upset she went to his house for a girls weekend either.


	37. Chapter 37

Daryl was holding Sophia with her back to the Deer not letting her see what Merle was doing.

'Shes' what like 5 month's old she doesn't know what I'm doing Daryl,' Merle told him.

'She doesn't need to see you pulling Bambi apart,' Daryl told him.

'Don't call it Bambi then,' Merle mumbled to him. 'Go put the baby down and help me please, we could do it in less time,'

'I missed her, I don't wana,' Daryl kissed and snuggled the baby a little, they were standing out in the back yard Merle had it hanging and had pulled the skin off. Rick was standing off to the side leaning on the fence drinking a coffee just watching. 'She's missed me, see,' To prove his point Sophia gave him a toothless grin.

'Put the baby down,' Merle growled at him.

'Fine, come on lets find your Mama,' Daryl moved back towards the house to pass the baby back so he could help Merle. 'Merle said I had to give her back, help him,'

Daryl handed her back to Carol and headed back outside to help Merle. Carol as pleased he brought her back, she wasn't sure how she felt about him having the baby out there while the were pulling the deer apart, she could see he had her back too it. To be honest it was freaking her out. She never knew anyone who hunted before, she just didn't think Sophia needed to see it being cut up.

'It gets better,' Andrea looked over at her sitting at the table looking at her watching the men, 'Or just pretend you brought it at the supermarket,'

'I mean, looking at it like that,' Carol screwed up her face.

'Remember they had a rough childhood, they hunted for food, gathered, provided, they see this is a way to provide, even though we can go to the supermarket if we wanted to.' Andrea stated.

Carol nodded understanding, Daryl had told him some of his childhood, his back and body covered the rest of the story of what his dad was really like. She just didn't think the 5month old baby needed to see it. They could talk about it later. He might have different ideas on what he wanted to expose her too, she could tell he knew she was too little to see what they were doing which is why he had her back to Merle and was standing back watching talking to her instead.

'I didn't know people still hunted, I guess I knew they did, or he did other wise he wouldn't have helped us, but its one thing to know but another to see it,' Carol put her hand over her mouth seeing a cut she didn't want to see.

'If it makes you feel better they eat it all, its not just like sport, then they give some to some families needing help with food, so its not wasted.' Andrea told her.

'I just don't want to watch,' Carol said, 'Can I put a movie on?'

She sat beside Lori on the couch who was half asleep with Carl asleep on her lap, Andrea put a girlie movie on for them all to watch while the men did men stuff outside.

'I've been thinking about what you said about having a baby,' Andrea said quietly, Lori's eyes flew open and looked in her direction. 'You think I could do it? Work part time, get someone to help, or Jo or something?'

'I'll help,' Lori said, 'We can all help, I mean, your husband owns his own work shop,'

'Yeah, but he need to be there, even doing the accounts and ordering parts and stuff, he should really get an office girl,' Andrea mused.

Carol waved her hand around, 'I can type, and do stuff, like use the phone, and write stuff down, I mean how hard can it be?' Carol looked at them, 'I need a job,'

'Talk to Merle, they need someone in the office even for a few hours a day, you could probably even take Soph while she's little,' Andrea told her.

Carol moved Sophia seeing she was asleep moved quietly to put her into her bed in Daryl's room, going into the kitchen to make herself a drink, 'Should I ask him? Like today?'

'I'll talk to him about the baby stuff, then the office stuff, and he should be buttered up with the baby talk to want help so it will free him up to help with a baby if he has help in the office.' Andrea mused.

'So your going to trick him into giving me a job? Carol giggled.

'With sex, Carol,' Andrea nodded and laughed her head off, Lori and Carol giggled at Andrea's laughter, just then the guys come in to get cold drinks stopping to wash their hands before coming into the room.

'Whats so funny?' Merle asked.

'We were talking about sex,' Andrea admitted looking over at him, Daryl looked worried, Rick seemed interested.

'I'm a stallion?' Merle asked, 'You tell them that,'

'Of course Merle that is why we are laughing,' all the women started with giggles again, Daryl come over to give Carol a kiss, without touching her because he was covered in Deer gunk.

'Your not telling tales are you?' He asked her,

'No Daryl, not once did I call you a stallion!' she giggled.

'Cheeky whench,' he muttered as he went outside with a can of coke. They all laughed again as they went outside.


	38. Chapter 38

Daryl was in the shower, Merle and Andrea were off out for dinner with friends. Carol was half lying on the couch watching Sophia kicking around on the floor. She looked around Daryl's house, it was very peaceful here, she loved it.

She wondered if she should get stuff organised for dinner or not, Daryl come out wrapped in a towel looking around for Merle.

'They went out for dinner its just us,' She told him.

'Sounds promising,' he started to rub himself dry watching Sophia and then he looked at Carol who was watching him. 'What do you want to do?'

'Well after a weekend of lying around here, hanging in the spa and doing nothing, I can keep doing nothing,' she yawned looking at Sophia who was holding onto her feet discovering she had the best toys in the world just hanging there like that.

'Should we get take out or we cook?' he wandered off to find clothes, coming back with underwear on getting dressed in front of her in the lounge, walking about to put the jug on pulling up one pant leg trying to get his foot in the other at the same time.

'What kind of take out?' Carol called out. She wasn't sure what there was.

'We could go to Glenn's?' Daryl offered.

'Does it mean I have to move?' she mumbled.

'Or not!' Daryl looked at her, she looked half asleep.

'Its just relaxing,' She never felt so lazy in her life, when she was with Ed she was to nervous to sit for long would never have dreamed of lying on the couch letting someone else get her food and get her something to eat.

'You relax all weekend?' He asked her,

'I'm not done yet,' Carol shut her eyes, knowing she couldn't sleep she needed to bath and feed Sophia and put her into bed. 'We sleeping here?' she asked with her eyes shut.

'I'm not working till Tuesday so where ever, what do you want?' He laughed seeing her stretch and yawn.

'We just stay here, I can't be bothered moving.'

'You going to go to that Mama's group tomorrow?' Daryl made himself a coffee and brought Carol over her water bottle, she was coffee'd out, Sophia didn't like it when she drunk to much coffee.

'I think so, they are kinda nosy though,' She wiggled up to make room for him to sit at her head end so she could lean back and rest her head in his lap. 'Yes I'm going to go, I need to meet people, Soph needs some friends apart from Carl, and lets face it people are going to speculate it doesn't matter what we do.'

They sat for a while watching Sophia, watching tv cuddling up together until Sophia had enough and needed to be fed. Carol's tummy rumbled Daryl decided to go get some take aways while Carol fed and bathed the baby.

By the time he come back with pizza Sophia was all bathed and smelling cute having a top up. She had a cuddle with Daryl for a bit until she fell asleep, he ate pizza with one hand snuggling the little girl, and sharing the odd lingering look with her mother. Sophia was finally asleep, he moved telling her to stay where she was he would put her to bed and come out holding a bikini that he noticed on his dresser on his way back.

'You were wearing this in my spa?' He asked her, she nodded. 'Put it on we go for one,'

Carol thought about teasing him saying no but she didn't want to, she put it on while he took the covers off. Grabbing the baby monitor meeting him at the side of the spa.


	39. Chapter 39

ok it seems to be the day for writing smut why stop now.

Chapter Text

Daryl climbed into the spa holding his hand out for Carol to climb over the side, which she did following him, feeling more worried about her swim suite than anything. Yes he had seen her naked but the swim suit covered the things that distracted him while she was naked. Her flaws, her baby tummy, her stretch marks.

She tried to cover her body as she climbed in but he saw it all anyway, he didn't seem to think there was anything wrong or notice she was covering her body. In fact her body was extremely interesting to him. As he reached out to hold her hand to help her climb in his other hand slipped up the out side of her thigh up to her arse pulling her towards him.

'You know all this time I've had the spa, I ain't never done it in the spa,' Daryl told her, he pulled her through the water to where he was sitting and sat her down so she was straddling him.

'Really?' Carol asked she was always surprised when he commented that he been alone for so long, she wasn't surprised when he started touching her in the spa. He was running his hand up and down her back.

She leaned in to kiss him, he moved her slightly looking behind her to work the back of her top. He pulled the string freeing her breasts leaning her back so they bobbed in the water with spa bubbles floating around them.

'You getting a good look?' she teased him as his gaze didn't lift from her chest. 'Daryl?'

'Hmmmmmmm?' he looked up at her face, 'What?'

'I asked if you were enjoying yourself,' Carol asked him now she had his attention for a few minutes.

'Hmmmmmm nearly, he leaned forward to suck on a nipple, not stopping when he got a mouthful of milk, he rubbed the other nipple between his thumb and for fingers. She was leaning back and his hands were holding onto her arse, his hand run down the top of her bikini bottoms. Rubbing both of her butt cheeks.

'Daryl slow down,' Carol pulled his head off the breast he was attacking he moved to her other side, he slipped his hands into the back of her bottoms. Rubbing up and down her crack. 'Daryl, stop,'

She moved him claiming his lips to kiss him. She could feel his erecton pressed against her, his fingers were tracing underneath her from front to back. Carol wriggled against his fingers. She wasn't used to where he was touching her. He moved his hand from behind her to the front rubbing her clit then slipping his thumb into her then he rubbed the bit of skin between her arse. She didn't know what he was going to do next, she couldn't help moving with him, kissing him moving against his fingers, then he did it, he slipped the tip of his finger in her arse.

She squealed with the surprise of it, and it wasn't exactly comfortable. It was something she had never felt before, she was excited about trying new things but this was in the new area of something she had never done before.

'Rub yourself,' he whispered into her mouth and she moved her hand off his shoulder down between her legs to rub her clit, she shut her eyes, she was kind of embarrassed at the way she was moaning on his lap and grinding against his hand rubbing herself with pleasure.

'Open your eyes,' he whispered getting her to look at him while he moved against her he could feel she was getting more excited about everything, her nipples rising up and down under the water rock hard, she came down hard on his hand. Moving in closer to him cuddling into his neck, kissing him there.

Carol reached into his pants to feel he was so hard and pulsing under her touch, 'You got something?' he nodded reaching over the side of the spa pulling up a condom, he knew he was going to have to get out of the water to do it, it wasn't a good idea in the spa.

'Come out,' they climbed onto the deck he didn't waste much time, he tugged some towels over them, pulled on the condom and went for it slipping into her quickly, Carol wrapped her legs around his waist keeping him close. she kissed him hard licking the water off his neck. He didn't last long because after getting her off in the spa had him right on the edge of blowing before they even got under the towels.

They lay on the deck for a few minutes before talking. 'You wana go shower?' he asked her.

'You just want to get me naked,' Carol teased him a little.

'That was my end goal,' he moved to stand up to put the cover on the spa, not before he half leaned in to fish her top out of the water, they didn't want that floating in there the next time someone took the lid off. Carol had gone to get some clothes from their room to check Sophia, gathering some pj's for herself in case the others had come home before they got out.

She met Daryl in the bathroom he already had the shower running. 'I'm so tired, I'm looking forward to getting in my own bed.'

'I'm looking forward to snuggling down to sleep too, sleep Daryl,' Carol climbed in behind him, they showered quickly then headed to bed quickly, finally snuggling down to sleep in each others arms. Carol more likely to end up lying across him while she slept.


	40. Chapter 40

Carol pulled up outside the coffee group willing herself to bite the bullet to go in again with Sophia, Lori was going to meet here there with Carl. She was hoping the nosy women would leave her alone this week but she didn't know if they would or not. They wouldn't be able to help it because of Daryl showing up with Rick to see her last time.

Daryl had asked if she wanted him to go, sometimes Dads went if they were not working sometimes there were solo Dads or working Mums. She told him she could do it by herself he didn't need to protect her, she was a big girl now she could go make friends with some of the Mums he could do his own thing around home or rest up and sleep some.

He had laughed the only reason he would go to bed during the day was not for sleeping. He had been up on the roof cleaning out gutters when she left with Sophia, she was always amazed when he did guy things like that. Not paid someone to come fix the problem unless he had tried to fix it himself. He looked like he had changed a guttering as one was lying on the ground and he was fixing a new on on. She reminded him not to let go, or fall, he waved, she knew he would be fine, Andrea was home to hear him if he fell.

She hoped out of his truck reaching into grab her bag freeing Sophia from her car seat heading towards the main doors. She didn't know if Lori was there yet or not but she was just going to head in check out what was going on with everyone and smile trying to make new friends.

Feeling like she had just walked into a conversation where she had been the topic of conversation, everyone stared at her when she come in, everyone stopped talking, a few mothers looked her up and down and the rest just turned back to their conversations. Carol looked around for Lori she wasn't there yet. She walked over to try join a group of women who really didn't want her to join.

She sat down with Sophia on her lap smiling trying to join in the conversation and for 5 minutes was excluded on purpose, her comments over looked she decided the mum's coffee group wasn't for her. She knew what the problem was most of it was because of Ed, and the rest was Daryl. They thought she was slutty bouncing from man to man, but they didn't get it, they didn't know Ed, or her. They certainly didn't know Daryl, or what she had been through, she wasn't going to tell them just so they would like her and make her a coffee.

One women had made coffees for everyone but her. Everyone. Her throat burnt it was sore from trying to keep it together for not letting her guard down and crying in front of all these women to give them something else to talk about. They were trying to exclude her and make her go, she didn't need this on top of trying to keep herself together. If she was going to lose it she didn't want it to be in front of these women.

She bent over to pick up her bag trying not to cry putting Sophia over her shoulder, stood up and walked out of the community hall. She run into Lori in the hallway who was coming in.

'Where you going?' she asked.

'Ummmmmm I've got a headache,' Carol lied to her friend and kept walking out to her truck.

She buckled Sophia in, she knew she wasn't going to be accepted by these mums not yet. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't go to Daryl's because he would wonder why she was there so soon after leaving and would want to go down there and defend her honor or something. So she buckled Sophia into her car seat deciding to go get a take away coffee and go for a walk through the park or something.

Carol was sitting on a swing drinking her coffee rocking her feet back and forward with Sophia strapped to her chest thinking she should go home to her flat or take Daryl's truck back when she saw him walking down the path towards her.

'Hi?' She said.

'You ok?'

'Just having a coffee, you,' Carol couldn't understand what he was doing here.

'Lori rang, I've got a tracker on the truck with my job,' he filled in the blanks without asking, 'Something happen?'

'No, kinda, not really, they didn't want me there,' Carol offered him, he nodded walking behind her too push her on the swing a little for something to do.

'They say something?'

'No they just made everyone a coffee but me and ignored me, so I left,' Carol told him,

'Want me to go with you?'

'No, I'm not going back, ' Carol put her feet down so she could stand up, she held her hand out, he looked worried she would be more upset, she was passed being upset, she was done, if they didn't' like her she was not going to worry about it. 'Wana walk?'

He nodded holding her hand walking around the paths looking at things talking, laughing about some of the things they were seeing. Finally walking full circle back to his truck. He climbed in to drive, he been dropped off by Andrea when he looked for the location of his truck.

'So swimming classes next try then for Soph?' He asked.

'You can do swimming classes, last thing I need to do is get into a swim suit with judgmental women.' Carol told him, he just laughed and nodded.


	41. Chapter 41

'Are you serious?' Carol looked across at Daryl as he pulled up outside the community swimming pool.

'Yes, you just said I could do swimming lessons with her,' Daryl reminded her.

'I thought you were joking,'

'No come on come in and check see when lessons are on for her age group,' Daryl moved around to move Sophia out of her car seat, holding the baby in his arms he indicated that she should follow him, 'Come on,'

Carol followed him towards the main entrance where there were boards up with prices and different swimming activities that were on offer from babies to tots, exercise swimming for everyone. Carol was surprised there was so many things on offer, her eyes went to the swimming lessons for babies. Monday mornings at 10am or Saturday morning at 10am for Daddy swim class.

Carol was surprised he really was looking into Daddy swim classes. Shocked in fact, he wanted to do something one on one with Sophia without her, or she began to worry if it was because she bombed at the mummy play group. She knew at some stage Sophia was going to have to start mixing with other babies. She began to worry that she might just be failing because she was hopeless at the mummy playgroup.

Daryl watched her as 100 emotions run across her face worry about why she was looking so worried, maybe she thought he would drown Sophia or something, let her go in the water. To be honest he didn't know why he wanted to do the classes after he suggested it, it was passing comment that he made snowball after they drove passed the swimming pool they he just drove in to check out if they even had baby classes.

He held his hand out to support Carol he didn't know why she was stressing out but he knew she was stressing out for some reason. She was probably still upset about the playgroup. He knew Lori went but it was right up her ally also she been with Rick a very long time well settled into the community. Carol was new, but also the fact he knew there were a few women in that group who in the past hit on him. His eyes went to the counter and he grinned seeing who was behind there.

'Hi Daryl, how are you, this must be Sophia?' A cute blonde girl waved from behind the counter, 'Come see me,' she held her hands out for the baby Daryl passed her through the opening to her to hold. She grinned a beaming smile looking at the baby giving her a kiss. Carol was looking at Daryl passing Sophia off to the girl behind the counter. A little panic as the girl seemed really familiar to Daryl and her to him.

'Carol, this is Amy, Andrea's sister,' Daryl called her over.

'Hi,' Carol looked at the girl probably in her very early 20's, she was kissing Sophia in the same fashion as her sister did. Daryl was watching her smiling at them, Carol felt a little ping of jealousy. She was perky and blonde and cute, everything Carol wasn't with no baggage either. Had they been together, slept together, Carol's mind was racing 100 miles an hour, putting Andrea's sister around the age of 25 years. Where had she been, Carol tried to calm all her irrational thoughts going through her mind.

'So I'm Aunty Amy, and I'm just back from collage I can spoil you rotten,' Amy snuggled into the baby, 'I can baby sit so you can go on a date or something?' She looked from Daryl to Carol. Daryl nodded, Carol just stared at them wondering what to say.

'Swimming lessons, for Soph?' Daryl asked. 'You need to check with Carol about baby sitting or being a Aunty.'

'What day suits?' Amy asked. 'Saturday or Mondays?'

'Saturday,' Daryl told her, 'Oh book Rick Grimes in for the Daddy swim classes too, he's my partner, we can both get it off shift if both of us are doing it,'

'Your booking Rick into swimming classes?' Carol looked at Daryl.

'Yeah why not? Its easier for both of us to get the shift off than me saying I can't,' Daryl couldn't help but laugh that he was signing Rick up for classes, he was going to freak about it probably.

'Sooooooo you and Rick Grimes want to do Daddy swim classes,' Amy asked

'Hmmmmm mmmmmh' Daryl said, as he started giving detail to Amy about Sophia's birth date and anything else they needed to do to enroll her. Amy passed the baby back to Carol while she filled in the forms.

'Carol, what the mums do is hang out and drink coffee while the swim class is on,' Amy told her.

'Yeah I don't do too well at mummy coffee groups,' Carol said glancing at Daryl.

'I imagine, your hot, and now you have Daryl bet there are some women with their noses out of joint.' Amy stated. 'Lots of women have tried to tap that,' Amy indicated to Daryl who was bending over filling out the forms.

'You can have coffee with me, I'll take my break then,' Amy gave her a smile, Carol nodded she suddenly liked Amy, her moments of jealousy gone. 'Daryl a nice guy, he loves that little girl by the looks of things, I'm going to love watching this swim class with both Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon playing in the water with babies, bring your camera'

Carol nodded she would find a camera or something to take photos.


	42. Chapter 42

'I'm gona fucken kill you for this Dixon,' Rick muttered pulling on his swimming trunks, 'Who the fuck signs someone else up to Daddy swim classes, couldn't even get out of it cos they rung and Lori thought I enrolled us,'

'Your welcome,' Daryl looked at him, pulling on his own shorts, 'Want me to tell her you didn't enroll yourself,'

Daryl started moving out of the changing rooms to go find Carol. He knew he was lying because two days ago he was thanking him because Lori let him into her panties because he enrolled in Daddy swim classes.

'Don't you dare,' Rick muttered following him around the pool to where Carol and Lori were, they looked around it was a small class of about 8 guys and their babies. Daryl dove into the pool swam about then swam to the side held his hands out for Sophia, Carol passed her in.

'Don't drop her or let her go,' Carol warned him, he shook his head he wouldn't drop her.

'I won't,'

'Not even if they say to let her go,' Carol told him.

'I promise I won't let her go,' he held Sophia up for a kiss.

'I really mean it don't let her go,' Carol told him again Daryl stood up in the water it com around his chest he leaned up and she leaned down to kiss him too, 'Don't let her drown,' she whispered.

Carol finally backed away, pulling out Daryl's camera to snap a couple of 'first' photos, first shot of them in a swimming pool, Carol looked around, deciding that Rick and Daryl were the hottest guys in the pool, they took care of themselves and you could tell, some of the others were showing middle aged spread.

She was still nervous about her baby being in such a big swimming pool even with Daryl holding her she was scared about all the what if's. She had been up half the night worried about it, Daryl had done his best to assure her she would be fine, he wouldn't let anything bad happen to Sophia. Carol wanted to cancel the swimming lesson's this morning, Daryl managed to get them all to the swimming pool knowing if he backed down more and more classes would be veto'd for everyone.

Daryl knew she was nervous she was making him nervous that he might accidentally drop her or something, he moved her so she was over his shoulder walking over to were the other guys were in the swimming pool with their babies, he nodded a greeting to the others, it seemed Sophia was the only baby girl in the class. She had on baby swimming diaper and a pink swim top and pants, he just hoped she didn't poop herself during class or something.

The class went around and the teacher had them bounce the babies in the water introducing themselves and how old their babies were, then the guys had to float the babies on their backs with their heads back in the water, Sophia enjoyed it while some other babies cried and had to be taken out of the pool by their fathers as the swim coach said upset children in the pool would make it harder to get back in next week, ten minutes was better than none.

Then come the part where the coach wanted them to dunk the baby under the water, Daryl took a glance over to Carol and followed the swim coach direction to bounce and count hold his breath, Sophia looked at him shut her mouth and he dunked them both under the water quickly. Rick did the same with Carl both babies were the last two standing from the 30 minute swim class quickly blinked the water out of their eyes. Sophia didn't look fussed or upset about it, Daryl could feel the daggers from Carol in his back, Sophia put her fist in her mouth and gave him a big grin.

Then she giggled, Daryl looked surprised at this, Sophia looked surprised she giggled her eyes opening wide. Rick whispered to do it again, see if she giggle again. Daryl counted took a breath Sophia copied closing her mouth Daryl dunked them both, come up again, she blinked the water chewed on her fist and giggled. Carol had moved to the edge of the pool.

'Your wife doesn't look happy Daryl,' the swim coach said, they said goodbye leaving the class going to the side of the pool to pass the babies out.

'You promised Daryl you wouldn't dunk her,' Carol hissed at him holding her hands out for the baby.

'Watch this,' Daryl counted again, Sophia copied his closing mouth he dunked them he come up with her again, she blinked put her fist in her mouth and giggled.

'She's giggling?' Carol looked on, Daryl nodded, passing Sophia out, Sophia cried not being in the pool anymore. They wandered over together to shower and get dressed, in her mothers arms again Sophia started rooting around for a boob to feed, she yawned and was tired.

Daryl turned on the shower stripped and held his arms out for Sophia to shower her too.

'She's hungry,' Carol told him.

'She needs the pool washed off, you know she's going to fall asleep on the boobie,' He stated, she passed her in he washed her quickly passing her out for Carol to dry and quickly dress, she sat down watching Daryl wash while feeding Sophia. 'Getting a good look? See anything you like?' He asked her, she just nodded and smiled.

'Nope and your not going to be seeing anything you like for a while, you promised you wouldn't dunk her,' Carol stated.

'Babe, don't be like that, and I have my ways to get you naked, easy,' Daryl told her, he was only a little worried about her threat.

'Ok then,' Carol run her gaze down his body taking it in. Kinda excited about his ways he was going to try get her naked. She would resist a little, she was sure she could, couldn't she?


	43. Chapter 43

Daryl dropped them off at the flat, leaving her there so he could go home change into his uniform for the shift he was working, he managed to nuzzle a kiss out of her although she was trying to put him in the dog box.

'I'll drop you back the truck if you wana?' Daryl asked her.

'No its fine, if I want to do anything, like find a new boyfriend who won't dunk my baby I can walk,' she told him. He opened his mouth in mock shock she would go looking. He knew she was teasing him.

'Good luck with that, slim pickings around here, in fact I'm it,' he chuckled, 'Give me a kiss,' she offered him her cheek with a grin he turned it and managed to get her mouth. 'I know your teasing about looking for a new one, but by some chance you don't find one you wana go out tonight?'

'How? Like leave Sophia behind?' Carol looked shocked he was suggesting leaving her.

'Not alone, I finish at 6, I can come by then we could fed, read and rock her, Amy will watch her, if we just go to Glenn's for dinner or something maybe that little cafe its open late on Saturday night, we be like 5 minutes away if she needs us,' Daryl told her. 'Please, just an hour, I wana take you out, we could even just go out for a coffee?' He was almost begging her to come with him.

'I don't know,' She twisted in her seat, 'What if something happens?' She dug her heels in, no way, she didn't want to leave her, even for an hour. She was obsessed with it because she been feeling like the worst mother in the world ever since she'd been rejected at the mothers group, saw the way people looked at Daryl like he was lunch. She wanted to wrap walls around Sophia to keep her safe.

'Something could happen with us being there, we are not going far, two blocks,' Daryl looked at her chewing his thumb a little, 'I already asked Amy,'

'When?'

'I rung her last night to ask her,' Daryl admitted,

'You rung Amy?' Carol's jealousy flared up again, did they just talk about baby sitting or was it more. Why didn't he ask her first. Why was he ringing Amy, why did he have her number.

'To ask about baby sitting Sophia, so we could go on a date, she offered yesterday remember,' Daryl said.

'I remember,' Carol was quiet, fiddling with the door handle, this conversation wasn't going well she didn't know how to turn it around to he wasn't getting cross about it.

'I just thought, ...doesn't matter, forget it, I've gotta go,' he looked at his watch. 'Gotta be at work soon,'

'Daryl, its just,...'

'Its fine, I'll cancel it,' he jumped out of the truck moving around to unbuckle the car seat leaned in to kiss Sophia. She was asleep, swimming had knocked it out of her.

Carol come around to get Sophia also so he passed the car seat and the diaper/swim bag to Carol. 'I'll ring you sometime then,' he climbed into the truck and left her standing at the path to the flat. She's upset him, she just didn't want to leave Sophia, not with someone she didn't know.

She moved Sophia into her bed, and tried to make herself busy for the rest of the day doing washing, changing the sheets on the bed. She put Sophia in the pram and went for a walk to the supermarket getting diapers and comfort food. She didn't know if he still was coming at 6, she wasn't sure.

She was sure when she got a text saying he was busy at work and he would see them tomorrow. That's when she knew he was pissed, he had never blown her off using work as an excuse, she knew he was off work because she'd seen his truck go by when she was leaving the supermarket, he wouldn't have seen her.

She tried to go to sleep, Sophia was making sucking noises sucking her fist while she slept. It was one of the few nights she hadn't slept beside him since they met. She felt a bit sad not really knowing why or what she'd done to make him annoyed with her.

Daryl was lying on his bed on his back flicking a ring box open and shut, looking at the ring he was going to give her tonight to ask her to marry him, she'd point blank refused to do or go anywhere without Sophia, he loved Soph but he wanted to ask her without Soph being there, he wanted to ask and kiss her without them having to worry that she might fuss or cry or need Carol, he just thought for 1 hour he could spend some time proposing properly, telling her how he felt about them, now he was so pissed off he felt like throwing the ring into the woods behind his house.

He rolled onto his side putting the box back in the nest of his drawer where it had been for the past two weeks wondering what tomorrow would bring. He picked up his phone looking at the time, then he pushed call, holding it up to his ear waiting for an answer.


	44. Chapter 44

'Thought you were brought and paid for Dixon?' Shane asked as he pulled up outside his house, Daryl had shaved,6 shots of vodka all he could find in the house and had a beer in his hand when Shane arrived, they were going out, he didn't know where he just needed to blow off some steam.

'No, just going out, thought you might wana go out,' Daryl looked at him.

'You have a fight with your misses?' Shane asked, Daryl just shook his head. He didn't know, maybe, he didn't go to them after work like he normally would he needed to think some. His head was fuzzy with the booze.

'Something like that,' Daryl admitted, he might have over reacted a little but he wasn't going on a women hunt, just out.

'Going on a pussy hunt?'

'Fuck off,' Daryl growled at him, 'Just going out, to chill out, she's all I want right, don't go pushing women onto me,'

'Its just that you haven't been away from her since she's been in town, like she has you tied by the balls or something,' Shane commented. 'Like she has a magical vagina,'

'Shut up Shane,' Daryl warned him, 'Don't talk about my girls ummmm girl parts, keep your mind on your own girls magic vagina,'

'My girls is shitty with me anyways not seeing that anytime soon till I bring her something pretty or tell her I'm an A graded prick,' Shane told him. He parked up his car outside the bar knowing he was going to be walking home or ringing a patrol car for a lift.

They pulled up to the bar ordering a beer, they were in there late, everyone around them were hammered.

'Well if it isn't my favourite brother inlaws, little brother,' a voice from behind him come he turned around and behind the bar Andrea's sister Amy stood. Amy gave him a hug over the bar where she was working, 'What's up Shaneo? What are my two favourite off duty cops wanting to drink?'

Pretty soon they were playing pool with some of the local home from collage girls. Daryl had had more than his normal amounts of beer, a couple of shots with Shane and he was pissed off his face, no lunch or dinner just booze, he was staggering around the bar when he knew it was time for him to pull the pin. He had been hit on more times than he could count including one chick who tried to follow him and Shane into the toilet.

He pulled a seat up to the bar moving away from the pool tables and tried to hold a conversation with Amy. He wasn't doing too well, then some girls come over trying to drag him to a party, he shook his head, they were trying hard. 3 had Shane in their grips to take him with them too, they were loose too she could tell one had her tongue in his ear, she wasn't too worried about Shane but Daryl she could tell was in love with Carol and her little girl, something had happened and he just come out for a drink which had now got out of hand.

Daryl was trying to tell them without making a scene he wasn't going.

'Leave him alone, he's got a girlfriend and a tiny baby,' Amy growled at them across the bar, 'Shane, sit down, you've got a girl too,' Amy bustled around getting them both cokes to drink annoyed at the other bar staff for letting them get so pissed. Granted they were grown men but something was bothering them both, considering Daryl rung off her baby sitting services which meant she could say yes to the bar work.

'I'm off now, let me get my bag I'll take you both home,' she told them. They followed her out to the car park where Daryl spent a few moments having a chat with the gutter, a patrol car slowed down looking at him, Rick Grimes stuck his head out the window looking at him.

'She say no brother?' he call out.

Daryl shook his head heaving again, 'Didn't ask,'

Rick checked if Amy was ok taking them home she nodded she was, dropping Shane off to his girlfriend walking him to the door and knocking waiting for her to come.

'I brought you a special something something, you don't have to thank me,' Amy laughed as she dragged him into the house by his shirt, mouthing thankyou.

'Where too Dixon?' She asked, he squinted at the time.

'Carol,' He mutter, she pulled up and he rolled out of the car onto the driveway, lying there. Looking up at the stars.

'Move it Dixon, or I'll ring Merle,' Amy warned, he rolled over vomited again, groaning knowing he was going to have to clean it tomorrow. Amy was gone tapping on the door where Carol peeked out. Seeing it was Amy and it was one in the morning she wondered what was going on.

'Yours if you want to claim it?' she pointed down the drive, 'though you should wash it before you use it, because it smells,'

'Is that Daryl?' Carol turned the outside light on, there he was in all his glory crawling up the path, vomit and all, 'No way, if your coming in here you strip those clothes off, that's disgusting,'

Daryl growled trying to pull off his shoes, and pants at the same time falling into the little garden. ' ummm 's k Carol, mmmmmmmmmmm hey baby, ... Soph up?' Carol just stared at her drunk boyfriend wondering why he was in such a state.

'Thankyou Amy, what's happened why he get so drunk?'

'I don't know, he and Shane showed up and they both got blizts now they're both like this, if your ok I'm going, I have to work at the pool tomorrow,' She told Carol, 'Ummm Carol, try the garden hose or something, wash him down,'

He was in his underwear, She held out her hand to help him up. He wouldn't move with her so she did get the garden hose on him spraying him down while he complained she didn't love him because she was mean to him. He kept calling her a 'big meanie pants', she finally managed to drag him inside, strip off his underwear while he stood there swaying and laughing about it. She pull on some underwear getting him to step into it before she shoved him in the spare room. He could stink it up in there until he showered. She smelt herself took a shower then went to bed, he was out cold on his side. She knew she was going to have a terrible night checking him all night to make sure he didn't choke or something.

She watched him for a minute thinking he was sleeping, 'Why don't you love me?' He asked her then the next moment he was asleep. Did he think she didn't love him, she loved him too much that it actually hurt. Tomorrow, they would talk tomorrow.


	45. Chapter 45

Carol was tired, she woken him up often during the night to make sure he didn't vomit in the bed, dragging him to the toilet, now at 3pm in the afternoon she push open the window and tugged on him declaring if he didn't have a shower soon she was going to puke.

The room smelt fermented of booze and puke, everything he lay on needed washed and he was going to have fun cleaning that up, also the pile of puke up the path had his name on it.

'Ok Romeo, you need to get up,' Carol shoved him on his shoulder.

'Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm ugh whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?' he mumbled.

'Daryl get outa bed,' Carol pulled the blankets off him which was a bad mistake the smell flowed around the room.

'Don't wana,' he mumbled.

'Well, I've got Sophia to look after I don't need another baby,' she pulled his arm and he rolled out of the bed.

'Why are you being so mean to me?' he questioned.

'Are you fucken joking, I've had it, get your stinking arse into the shower, or I'm ringing Merle,' Carol warned him.

Daryl rolled onto the side of the bed sitting there for a moment and staggered to the bathroom. Carol, gagged, leaning over the bath trying to control her breathing, stale sick wasn't very nice. She gathered all the bedding and shoved it out the bedroom window into the small little yard, he could take care of that too.

'You getting clean?' she asked him coming into the bathroom, sniffing herself, she started stripping her own clothes sitting on the side of the bath to wait then she could shower herself. 'You've got lots of hosing down to do, all the bedding too,'

'Why are you yelling at me?' he groaned from inside the shower, 'tooth brush?'

'I'm not yelling, your lucky I'm not yelling, next time you decide to go get yourself pissed go home, to your home not mine,' Carol opened the shower door, he caught her eye and nodded, she was angry, he could see it spilling off her.

'I don't wanna fight,' he mumbled.

'God Daryl, is this all because I wouldn't go out, I dont' want to go out, especially if this is how your going to end up,' Carol found it hard to argue with him naked she just wished he would hurry up so she could get washed up too, he looked better and smelt better stepping out of the shower, he left it running for her.

'You smell,' he mumbled as she got close to him, he ducked because he thought she might take a swing at him. He wandered into her bedroom looking for some clothes he had there, looking at the sleeping baby, rubbing her head, 'Mama's mad at ya Daddy,' he whispered to her.

He went and found a drink in the kitchen drinking it down and taking the whole bottle, he turned the tv onto sports and lay down on the couch, his head was pounding, he watched half asleep on the couch until Carol come out with her hands on her hips.

'What are you doing?' She lost it and yelled at him.

'I'm sick, I need pain meds,' he told her half asleep.

'Get outside and clean up your mess, Fuck! Go now, and hose the bedding,' She yelled at him, he moved fast, firstly, she never really swore and second she didn't really yell. He knew he was in the dog house. He realized why when he saw the vomit outside down the path with flies starting to buzz around it. He come back into the garage getting the bleach and the outside broom, turned on the hose which was lying beside his clothes outside from last night. Flashes come through his head of her hosing him down with the garden hose in the garden last night.

She come to the door to watch him clean making sure he was doing it properly, then went back inside. Half an hour later Merle showed up idling outside the flat watching him doing the final things. He had washing on and he went down the path to see what he wanted.

'Come to take your arse home, per the lady's request.' Merle told him.

'The fuck?' Daryl was surprised.

'Said you puked over the house, her, she doesn't want you here stinking up the house, to come back tomorrow,' Merle winked at him, 'Get on the sauce Daryl,'

Daryl went up the path tried to open the door it was locked his keys and wallet come flying out the window, with Carol calling out, 'Ring me tomorrow,' Daryl huffed the whole way out to the truck, he was in the dog box and Merle laughed the whole way home. Daryl raided the fridge then took some food to go back to sleep. Fuck it was his last thoughts for the night.


	46. Chapter 46

Daryl woke up during the night feeling around the bed for Carol quickly realizing she wasn't there. Sophia wasn't there either. He was dry, his head didn't hurt so much it was 3am in the morning and he shuffled out to the kitchen downing two glasses of water. He grabbed a couple of pain meds, hoping to shake this hangover by 2pm the next day when he had to be back on shift. He poured a glass of juice, and dug around in the fridge for a few things to eat.

He went out back of his house looking around in the dark, he sat down at the picnic table out there looking at car lights driving up the drive, Andrea was coming back from some emergency from the small hospital. She parked not far from where he was sitting.

'Pity party for one?' She asked him.

'Something like that,' Daryl mumbled.

'I talked to Carol,' She told him, 'Heard you decorated the outside with vomit and she hosed you down in your jocks outside,' She stared at him wondering what was going on. Daryl was so level headed and she'd seen him drunk only a handful of times in the past few years. A few beers, never crawling vomiting drunk which by Carol's accounts is what he was.

'She's pretty pissed,' He mumbled.

'Wouldn't you be, someone comes rolling up to your house where your tiny baby is sleeping rolling spewing drunk?' Andrea asked. 'You want Merle coming rolling drunk round Sophia,'

'No,'

'You think Carol wants an unpredictable drunk person at her house, round Soph?' Andrea asked.

'I didn't do anything to them,' Daryl told her.

'I know, Carol know's, but think about what happened last time she was around a extremely drunk person, what happened to Soph,' She asked.

'I'ma not gona do it again,'

'Well don't, I had her on the phone crying this morning,' Andrea warned him, 'When Carol cries we all cry, she's been though enough,'

'I made her cry, I'm an arsehole, should I go see her?' Daryl asked her.

'Not at 3am, tomorrow, if she lets you in,' Andrea told him.

'I fucked it up, I just wanted to ask her something, take her out, and...' Daryl stopped himself knowing he just about spilt the beans about why he was pissed. 'I just wanted to do something with her without Soph,'

'You adore that wee girl, what's going on,' Andrea asked him, 'She said you organised Amy then you guys had a falling out because she didn't wanna go,'

'Stay here a moment,' Daryl moved and went to his room pulling out the box he had been holding come back out and put it on the table in front of Andrea, 'There!'

Andrea opened the box seeing the gorgeous ring inside, 'Oh Daryl, I'm already married, to your brother remember,'

'Not you, this is why I wanted to go fucken out without Sophia, one night, one hour to give her a promise,' Daryl mumbled, 'Without being distracted by her, or her needing something, I just wanted to ask her,'

'Oh, it makes sense now,' Andrea mused, 'When's your next day down?'

'Not till Saturday we gona do swimming, if she will let me then dunno,' Daryl told her, 'Working long shifts this week,'

'What if Merle and I swing by take her for a walk or something, its still day light, practice for us, you can do it then?'

'You sure, she might let you take her if you lead with you want to do it, not me planning it,' Daryl looked interested.

'Its a plan, you just have to work at getting back into her good books sunshine,' Andrea told him, she handed him back his ring leaving him sitting and eating planning how to get back into her good books.


	47. Chapter 47

Daryl showed up on Carol's door step the next morning before work offering an apology, he though about bringing flowers but he knew she would probably beat him with them. Or throw them back in his face. So he showed up with diapers, wipes and a voucher for a massage at the local beauty place. It had been Andrea's idea but she wasn't going to blab, she told him no for the flowers. He decided from now on he would ask advice from his sister in law before making any big decision about anything major, she's a chick, she must know what other chicks wanted.

Her door was locked and he knocked, he was bummed waiting he needed to get to work, his pager was going off, but he decided to ignore it until he seen her. He just needed to get through to her he was the biggest dumb arse ever and he would do anything for her forgiveness even grovelling on his knees he was missing her that badly. She hadn't answered the phone or his text messages, he knew she must be mad as hell at him.

He knocked again, he knew she was in there he could hear Sophia. 'Baby, I know your in there, I'm not going till you open the door,'

He waited for her to come, he tried his key the chain was on the door. He couldn't open it. Eventually she come to the door, he could tell she been crying. Her eyes were red rimmed like she'd been crying for hours, her boobs were massive and she was gripping the door. She opened the door a little more and looked at the ground.

'I'm sorry, I was a dick,' Daryl told her, it wasn't what he was supposed to say, he held out the envelope and the diapers. 'I'm going look after her, if you make an appointment for when I'm not working,... I can change a few diapers too,'

She stared at him, 'Thanks,' she told him when she looked in the envelope. She threw the diapers onto the couch. 'I'm not ready to talk, I'm still mad at you, ...you should go.' her words were telling him something her eyes were not. He was watching her all his cue's were coming from her body. Something was off, he didn't know if it was just because of him or something else.

'It won't happen again,' he promised her, 'I don't normally drink like that, just a few beers that's all, I'm not going to offer you excuses,' he moved slightly trying to see past her shoulder, he could see Sophia's toys all over the floor and a lamp on the floor. There were 4 glasses on the bench and breakfast food spill on the ground. Spilt food was giving him warning signs plus the glasses on the bench there should only be one, and Carol always put her's in the sink and made him do it to get into the habit so when Sophia was toddling she wouldn't tip them down on her or break them and get cut.

'Well don't,' Carol went to shut the door, he put his foot in the door. His police skills were honing in on her, something wasn't quite right. He didn't know what, his pager was going off. His cell phone started ringing.

'What's going on?' he asked her, she shook her head.

'I just don't want talk,' she told him, she looked at him, her eyes were expressionless, flat. 'Not right now, I need to figure some things out, decide if your the one for me or not, ...if...if your actually someone I would want to have around my infant daughter or not!'

'Like what?' he asked her, he knew she was lying, even if they were not together he knew she trusted him 100% with Sophia. In fact he was in the process of figuring out how to adopt her through the lawyers to be her Daddy legally. They already called him Daddy to Sophia.

'Just stuff, look I can't talk right now,' she told him.

'Is someone here?' he mouthed She shook her head and flicked her eyes to behind the door. He knew there was, he looked at her hands she had three fingers showing. She indicated one behind the door.

' I just don't think we should see each other anymore, I made a mistake, a big one,' her hands were shaking, 'You better go, there might be some big police emergency you need to be on or something.'

His eyes went to her hands again, which were still holding the voucher, her hands were shaking worse now, he could hear Sophia crying in the bedroom in the flat, a glance over his shoulder he could see a police cruiser park up the road. He could see past her shoulder watching armed defenders jumping the back fence. He ignored his pager again.

'Yeah I'll go, but I wanna give Sophia a kiss first ok,... Goodbye,... if its over, you owe me that,' he told her, he gave her a look. Then I'll go. Out the side of his eyes he could see guys comando crawling up the foot path's from both directions. He knew the street was blocked off. He just didn't know who was in the house.

'She's trying to sleep,'

'I'm not going till I can give her a kiss,' he told her, holding her eyes, she pushed the door shut going inside. 20 seconds later she arrived with Sophia. 20 seconds was all it took for two armed defenders to be standing either side of the front door, with their backs to the wall that even Carol couldn't see them. Sophia was soiled and looked like she'd been screaming for hours, Carol was holding her tight. The little baby was screaming.

'Let me kiss her... Carol, if your ending this, let me kiss Sophia, ' he was nodding pleading her to hand her to him, to trust him.

Carol held her out and Daryl grabbed, tucked her head in with his elbow and dove and rolled left with her under the window, one of the armed men grabbed Carol the moment she handed the baby over rolling with her in the other direction. There was smashing in the back of the house. Daryl kept rolling with Sophia, protecting his baby with his arms into the neighbours drive where he ran down the road towards a police car. Towards the barriers. When he was safe, he looked. He could see Carol being ushered into the back of a police car, by Rick Grimes, him jumping into the drivers seat. The car leaving, she was gone.

He held the crying Sophia who was crying hard on his chest. He wrapped her in a bullet proof vest, he still didn't know what was going on. There was a lot of shouting. Sophia's cries were loud. He slipped with her into the back of the police car. Hostages clear was sounded. He started to move to get her out of there when everything went wrong.

Then he heard a gun shot, he flopped to his side in the back of the police car, putting Sophia behind the drivers seat and the back seat. He pulled a vest over himself the best he could as bullets went flying in the direction of the car. He then heard rapid fire shots. He put his hands over Sophia's ears making shushing sounds, singing to her as the gun shots fired all around them. Sophia was watching his face humming to her. She was calming down with his dull tone.

He felt burning sting in his arm as two stray bullets come through the front window of the car, he kept humming to Sophia, 'Daddy's ok, he's ok, your ok, Mama's ok, I'm gona kill who ever fucken shot Daddy, ...yes I am Sophia, some numb nut just shot me, ...cos it hurts like a bitch, ...don't tell Mama Daddy's saying swear words will you Soph,' He could feel the blood trickling down behind the bullet proof vest, it felt like a lot, he hoped it didn't nick anything important. He wanted to vomit.

He took his hands off Sophia and tried to put pressure on his arm. He was in a lot of pain. His chest was sore, he'd been hit hard there by the other bullet. The vest saved him.

'I'm ok Soph, we're ok, Uncle Rick's got Mama's, Daddy's ok...' he shut his eyes for a moment, there was no more shots.

'CLEAR!'

'CLEAR!"

He heard the calls of people calling off it sounded a long way off. Shane opened the back of the cop car looking in seeing the blood. 'Fuck you get hit? We need an Ambulance... OFFICER DOWN!'


	48. Chapter 48

Rick Grimes ushered Carol through the back way of the police station, calling for help, she was in shock and had a graze to her head where she took a bit of a hit in the roll across the drive. He couldn't believe everything went ok. When he received the call that a prison transport van had crashed his immediate thoughts were to check her. She never answered, he was worried and called in all the resources. He thought he might be over reacting sending for armed defenders but he was glad he followed his hunch that he would head there first.

He looked at his watch and turned his radio on on his hip. He'd called the squad in when they got word that a prison transport van rolled and the three prisoners were gone, one being Ed Peletier. When they couldn't contact Carol they moved to her house, seeing Daryl stalling at the door everyone moved in. He didn't think Peletiers would harm Carol sober but the two men who he was with wouldn't care who was in their way.

Of the three he couldn't even understand why they were moving Peletiers with these other two, Peletiers looked like a boy scout compaired to them. How, why had he led them to Carol's place. From what he could understand from the reports he had read from the prison and Peletiers giving up information to keep Sophia safe, he did care somewhat for his daughter. It was confusing, it was clear he'd had an abusive childhood. He handed his parents over the moment he knew they were trying to get to Sophia. It just made no sense he would lead two men like this straight to them.

Everyone had come out safe, he saw Daryl moving with Sophia. He felt relief moving fast to get Carol out of the way. He knew Daryl would be meeting them shortly at the station.

'He saved her, they both did,' Carol knew she was talking too fast she couldn't control it she was in shock ever since she opened the door at 7 am expecting Daryl she had three escaped convicts on her door step, pushing past her and Sophia. 'Where's Sophia? Daryl?' Carol looked up at Rick, he handed her a drink.

'They'll be here soon,' he told her.

'He took her, locked in the bedroom, he saved her,... she was crying and crying... ' Carol went on, 'the big one went to take her... get rid of her,... he took her... locked himself with her... then Daryl took her,... where's Sophia?' Carol was in shock.

Rick heard some cracking on his hip.

'Officer number 90737981, Officer down, requesting backup, flight for life, ' Carol recognized Shane's voice over the walkie talkie. She looked at Rick's face which remained passive. She heard a whole lot of information she probably shouldn't have heard. Someone was losing a lot of blood, and needed an air lift to the city hospital.

'This is dispatch, are we requesting a ride in the sky?'

'With flight lights, big bird is on way, requesting immediate response, Bus is on hand, request permission to land in the park,' come the crackling over the unit at Rick's hip.

'Big bird is 6 minutes out,' Dispatch said. 'Permission to land,'

Rick listened to the codes with interest. Carol couldn't work out what all the codes meant, she thought it meant someone was badly shot or something.

Andrea was doing her best to stem the flow of blood from Daryl's arm, the rig was moving and one of the ambulance officers was ripping off his pants to try find a vein. She held him still while they put an open bore in his foot. Taped up two bags of blood and watched it pour into him.

'Don't do this you arsehole,' She muttered to him. He'd been shot high up in his arm not to far from an major blood vessel to his arm it was hard to control the bleeding, there was a tiny tear that was causing the problems and the blood flow. 'This is the second time I've had to patch you up,'

Daryl was zoning in and out, 'Soph?' he mumbled, shutting his eyes against the light.

'She's with Merle,' She told him. 'She's fine, your not,'

He was stripped to his underwear with stickers on his chest, She was losing the fight she could see, his blood presure was dropping low his heart rate slow. Her heart was in her throat. She had to ignore his face and concentrate on his body, his under arm. How the hell had he been shot there? What was he even doing in the back of the police car? She didn't know. She'd just jumped in the rig when the got the call out to be on stand by for Carol's address.

She knew there had been people in the house, she didn't know who, she wasn't surprised when she pulled up with the rig Shane had Daryl on the ground trying his best to put pressure on his arm. She could hear Sophia screaming in the back of the police car. Merle had shown up, taking a hunch to come after he had two frantic calls from Rick Grimes looking for Daryl or Carol.

He took Sophia, there were cops everywhere. One prisioner being brought out alive, Merle looked along at him, he was looking at Sophia. He gave him a look. Ed Peletier.

'She ok?' Ed asked as he was being shoved in the back of a police car. 'She ok? Tell me she's ok,'

Merle nodded. He didn't know why but the man looked worried. He took another look as they shoved him into the car and left. Merle looked at the little baby in his arms, she smelt bad and was distressed. He watched them load Daryl into the back of the rig to pull out with him. Andrea shouting to get permission to land in the park two blocks over, the small air port too far away. Shane nodded pulling out the cb in the front of the police car to talk to dispatch.

'Jesus Daryl,' The rig come to a stop they could hear a copper coming, the driver coming through to help in the back. She gave it one last try. 'Just put as much pressure there as possible.'

She moved down his body, putting another line in his other foot. His veins were collapsing in front of her eyes. She set up another drip. There was loud noise as the chopper landed, they pulled him out of the rig moving him to the helicopter. The helicopter was better equipped than the rig. They were better trained to deal with this. They took over, Andrea put another line in at his neck. They had three bags of blood pouring into him. It was a 7 minute ride to the hospital where the moment he landed.

He was handed over to emergency staff and raced through to theater.

A bloody Shane with Sophia screaming with Merle come through the back door of the police station. Carol reached out for her baby looking behind Merle for Daryl. She took in all the blood on her daughter and on Shane.

'Where's Daryl?' She whispered, looking to them, she looked at the blood drops on her daughter, 'Oh God, its him isn't it,'


	49. Chapter 49

Hi guys due to some personal stuff I'm going to be unable to keep up dating here for some time. Its a long process to do so. However I do write directly on AO3 under the same name. without the 9 on the end. take the spaces out. Some of the fics on here are completed there. I have a sick child and can't take the time to update everywhere. Thanks for the ongoing support as always. If I have time I may update here but at this stage it is unlikely.

archive of our own users / ramblesandshambles / works


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